Dark Horizon
by JJ Rust
Summary: Voldemort is planning to bring reinforcements from the U.S. to Britain. Can American wizard Jimmy O'Bannon and his best friends from Salem alert the Order of the Phoenix before it's too late?
1. The Guild Of The Light

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_I know I'm in the middle of a multi-chapter story "Shadows Of The Past" right now. But this story has been screaming at me for a while. And since I'm putting "Shadows" on a bit of a hold while I work out some stuff on the way to the climax, I figure I'd write this one out. This is basically a revised and more in-depth version of my one-shot "Incursion," and takes place during the events of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and is set four months after my fanfic "Air Of Disharmony." Enjoy._

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**CHAPTER 1: THE GUILD OF THE LIGHT**

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"If our guess is right, we may have three, four days at the most before that tunnel is complete. Then . . . Merlin help England."

Headmistress Athena Esmeralda folded her hands on her oak desk and stared at the stocky woman sitting to her right. A grim look fell over her round tan face. Esmeralda sighed quietly. Three or four days. Could they find the tunnel before then? They had to. The security of England depended on it.

_And what if we can't?_

England had to be warned. They'd have a better chance at foiling this plot if witches and wizards on both sides of the Atlantic worked together.

But warning the English seemed just as difficult as finding the tunnel.

"Hector." Esmeralda looked to the hefty, brown-haired young man on her left. "What are our chances of getting a message to the Order of the Phoenix _without_ it being intercepted?"

Hector snorted, his feet sliding a couple inches over the furry purple throw rug under his seat. "If you don't mind me being so blunt, Headmistress, they suck. The Ministry over there is thoroughly monitoring every international owl and port key that comes into their country. The same with the International Floo Network. Even with security charms or stealth spells and the like, I wouldn't want to bet on any message getting to the Order without the Ministry knowing about it."

"And if the British Ministry of Magic finds out about it," the Hispanic woman chimed in. "You can bet You-Know-Who and his thugs will know about it as well."

Esmeralda frowned and nodded. She leaned back in her seat and gazed around her office, taking in the moving portraits of the school's former headmasters and headmistresses, the stone pensive in the corner, the pots along the window sills containing bright flowers whose colors changed every few seconds, and a tapestry with her family's coat of arms hanging above the door; a falcon with its wings spread and clutching a wand in each talon. Below it were three banners containing a different word.

HONOR. LOYALTY. WISDOM.

She focused on the middle word. Both she and Albus Dumbledore had been loyal to one another during the last war with Voldemort. While the isolationists wanted to ignore the battles raging on other continents and focus only on affairs in this country, Esmeralda knew the only way to defeat Voldemort and his followers was for wizards and witches from _all_ nations to band together. That philosophy is what led her to form the Guild of the Light. They worked closely with the Order of the Phoenix to stop various dark plots on both sides of the Atlantic. Esmeralda wondered how many battles here would have been lost had it not been for the help provided by Dumbledore and his group.

_I owe them such a debt. This country owes them. And here I am, helpless to repay it._

She stared at her family's coat of arms again. Esmeralda took a slow breath. No. She was _never_ helpless. She knew of another way to help the English.

_Do I dare?_ Her eyes darted from Hector to the Hispanic woman. How would they react to this?

_There has to be another way._

Unfortunately, they'd exhausted every other possibility.

Swallowing, the short, plump headmistress straightened in her high-back red velvet chair. "There is another way we can get into England."

"You mean what Roger suggested?" The Hispanic woman looked to the skinny young man with curled dark hair and a goatee to Hector's right.

Esmeralda nodded.

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"Yeah, it's safe," Roger answered. "Muggles do it every day by the thousands. I mean, okay, sometimes there's a crash. But really, statistically it's one of the safest ways to travel in the Muggle world."

The Hispanic woman bit her lip, looking unsure.

"It's the only option we have, Liana," said Esmeralda.

Liana nodded, but didn't look one hundred percent convinced. "So who do we get to use this contraption to, Merlin willing, get to England?"

Esmeralda hesitated. Would Liana accept this? Would Hector?

Steeling her back, she laid out her idea.

Hector's jaw dropped. "Seriously?"

Liana tried to maintain a stony, calm expression. But Esmeralda noticed the woman's brown eyes, and the worry, the abject fear swirling in them.

"Athena. He's . . . they're just . . . are you sure this is the only way?"

"Liana . . ." Esmeralda's voice went just above a whisper. "I truly wish there was another way. But you know what's at stake here. Believe me, I sympathize with you. I can't tell you how many times I put people I cared about in harm's way during the last war. To this day it eats at me. But these are difficult times we face, and it means we must make very difficult choices."

Liana lowered her head.

Esmeralda's heart sank. She felt compelled to leave her seat and put an arm around the other woman.

Instead, she remained in her chair. "Liana. Hector. I know you're worried. But please remember, these four have already proven themselves in battle. They are all of age, and they are some of the most resourceful, talented, level-headed and mature students we have here at the Salem Witches Institute."

**XXXXX**

Jimmy O'Bannon chuckled maniacally as he jabbed his wand at the marble bust perched on a stand near the door.

"This is gonna be awesome." He smiled and tapped the bald head of Kensington Kadermass, the greatest hero of the war between wizards and the Adirondack giants.

"Um, Jimmy. You sure about this?" asked a tall young man with angular features and close cropped brown hair. "I mean, we might get in trouble."

"Only if we get caught," O'Bannon said to Artimus Rand before turning back to the bust.

A slender, attractive girl with long curled black hair and several studs glittering from her ears laughed and shook her head. "Those Weasley twins really corrupted you, didn't they?"

"It's an even trade, I think. I taught them how to play hockey, and they taught me how to pull really cool pranks."

Rosa Infante cranked an eyebrow and grinned. "You gotta set me up with one of those guys."

"What, you run out of guys at Salem to chase?" quipped a short but muscular boy with curly black hair. "You gotta go overseas to get a new boyfriend?"

Rosa shot her cousin, Jared Diaz, a death stare.

O'Bannon frowned a bit. Rosa and her latest boyfriend, a Polish exchange student named Stashork, broke up a few weeks ago. But he'd been through enough of Rosa's break-ups to know she always rebounded well.

_Too bad Fred and George are over in Britain. I'm sure either one of them would dig Rosa._

He chewed on the inside of his cheek. A pang of worry went through him. He hadn't heard from the twins, or anyone else from Hogwarts, since before Christmas. Word was the Ministry of Magic had really put a clamp on international communications. Domestic owls and floo also underwent rigorous security checks according to one of the last postcards he'd received from the two.

So much for the right to privacy.

_Who needs You-Know-Who? Cornelius Fudge is turning into just as effective a dictator._

O'Bannon tried to concentrate on the bust of Kensington Kadermass. Anything to take his mind off his worry. Besides, Fred and George and Harry and Ginny and Hermione seemed more than capable of taking care of themselves. Hopefully they were all right in spite of all the crap happening in England.

Hopefully.

"Okay. It's done. Now we wait."

O'Bannon, Rosa, Jared and Artimus strode across the History of Magic classroom and sat at their usual desks. They opened their textbooks and pretended to read, glancing every few seconds back at the door.

O'Bannon held his breath when the door opened. He relaxed when he noticed a trim girl with shoulder-length dark hair enter the room.

"You guys are here early," said Penelope Hale, one of the forwards for the Ardenturo Hall hockey team.

"Yeah, well. You know. Test coming up next Tuesday, so we're getting in a little more study time." O'Bannon held up his book and waggled it.

Penelope shrugged and took a seat in one of the desks near them.

Other students filed in. Conversations filled the room as Seventh Year boys and girls sat down. O'Bannon tapped his index finger on his desk and fixed his eyes on the door, waiting . . . waiting . . .

Finally his target arrived.

O'Bannon barely suppressed a smile as a tall, round young man with dark hair and an aura of arrogance strode into the room. He held the hand of short thin girl with long blond hair and a haughty, superior expression.

He looked over to Artimus. His friend pressed his fingertips together, anxiousness radiating in his face, as he stared at Merak Mather and his snooty girlfriend, Sondra Weaver. While Artimus' and Merak's families were both part of the upper crust of New England Wizarding Society, Artimus couldn't stand the other boy. For that matter, most kids at Salem couldn't stand Merak. He was an arrogant, snobby jagoff who treated everyone who didn't have a pile of gold pieces as high as your average troll as unworthy of existence.

Oh yeah, and he had absolutely no use for Muggle-born wizards like Jimmy O'Bannon.

Anticipation bubbled within him as he watched Merak and Sondra walk past the bust of Kensington Kadermass.

"MERAK MATHER STILL LIKES TO PLAY WITH PIXIE DOLLS!"

A collective gasp of surprise rose up from the students. A bewildered Merak spun around and stared at the bust.

"MERAK MATHER WET HIS BED HIS VERY FIRST NIGHT AT SALEM!" the bust shouted.

Over a dozen students laughed.

"W-W-What?" Merak stammered.

"ACTUALLY, MERAK MATHER DIDN'T STOP WETTING HIS BED UNTIL LAST YEAR!"

More ruckus laughter followed. Penelope Hale laughed so hard O'Bannon thought she'd hyperventilate. Artimus buried his head in his arms, cackling hysterically.

"Who's responsible for this?" An indignant Merak Mather scanned the classroom.

Everyone was too busy laughing to answer.

"How dare you do this?" Sondra Weaver shook with anger. "Merak's family has -"

"MERAK MATHER'S FIRST KISS WAS WITH HIS BELOVED STUFFED UNICORN . . . WHEN HE WAS THIRTEEN!"

O'Bannon leaned back in his chair, adding his loud chortles to the others.

"IN FACT, HE STILL PRACTICES MAKING OUT WITH HIS STUFFED UNICORN!"

Merak's face reddened with anger as laughter bombarded him.

"MERAK MATHER SAYS HIS UNICORN KISSES EVEN BETTER THAN SONDRA WEAVER!"

Sondra let out a yelp of disgust. It was drowned out by the cacophony of guffaws.

Jared patted O'Bannon's shoulder. "You are so the man."

"I try," O'Bannon smiled.

The front door of the classroom opened. Out stepped a woman with stylish robes, chocolate colored skin and regal features.

"What's with all the hilarity?" asked Miss Venatici, Salem's History of Magic teacher.

"Somebody charmed that bust to insult me in front of the whole class!" Merak jabbed his finger at Kensington Kadermass' bust.

"It was absolutely uncouth, Miss Venatici," noted Sondra. "Someone like Merak should not be subjected to something this juvenile."

Miss Venatici raised an eyebrow and walked over to Merak and Sondra. She took out her wand and cast a Revealing Charm on the bust.

Nothing.

"It doesn't appear anything's out of the ordinary with this bust," Miss Venatici said in her Jamaican accent.

"I'm telling you someone charmed that bust to embarrass me." Merak's face contorted in anger. "Why do you think everyone in here was laughing at me?"

"Perhaps you were entertaining the class with your delightful wit, Mister Mather," Miss Venatici said with a charming smile.

O'Bannon covered his face with his hands and shook with laughter. _Good one, Miss Venatici. _

"I am not lying about this and I demand you do something!" Merak sneered at the teacher.

The laughter died down. The smile left Miss Venatici's face . . . at least for a few seconds.

"You're right, Mister Mather," she said softly. "I should do something. Detention tonight . . . for you."

Mather's jaw went up and down silently. His eyes bulged in disbelief. "Detention? Me? What are you talking about?"

"I'm not in the habit of having my students yell at me. Now take your seat."

Mouth agape, O'Bannon watched Miss Venatici walk back to her desk. _This worked out better than I thought._ He had worried his fail-safe charm to dissipate spell around bust the moment Miss Venatici entered the room may not work. Thankfully, he cast it correctly.

"Way to go, Jimmy." Rosa winked at him.

O'Bannon flashed her a grin and began to face forward. He stopped when he noticed the girl sitting two rows away from him. His chin crinkled as he studied the short girl's trim figure and her round face framed by long brown hair and bangs covering her forehead.

An invisible knife cut through his heart as he kept staring at Rana Rollingsworth.

The Seeker for the Blazenrowe Hall Quidditch team started to swing her head in his direction. O'Bannon turned the rest of the way in his seat and stared down at his desk.

_Why do I keep torturing myself?_

He glanced at Rana out the corner of his eye. She rolled her quill back and forth in her fingers. He studied every detail of her lovely face. His focus narrowed on her lips. He could still feel their softness, their moistness. O'Bannon closed his eyes, remembering the feel of her body pressed against his during the Halloween Dance. It had been one of the most awesome nights of his life.

Well, it would have been had the damn Slytherin bitch not ruined everything with that Projection Potion. It had amplified even the most latent jealous feelings in the majority of the student population.

Including him.

_If I'd only been stronger. If only I tried to fight it more._

A hollow feeling formed in his chest. Thanks to the potion, his relationship with Rana ended before it really had a chance to begin. Now all he could do was torture himself with what might have been. Dwell on their oh-so-brief moment of intimacy.

Rosa tried to help him through it, setting him up on a couple of dates. But neither of those girls could compare to Rana Rollingsworth.

_Maybe I should try to reconcile._

But four months had elapsed since their break-up, and he hadn't said a word to her. The time for reconciliation had long since passed.

_I should have tried sooner. I shouldn't have just accepted it. I should have . . ._

"Mister O'Bannon!"

O'Bannon jerked in his seat. He looked up to find Miss Venatici standing over him.

"Huh? What?"

Several of his classmates chuckled.

Miss Venatici sighed and folded her arms. "While you were sitting there daydreaming about whatever girl you're currently interested in at Salem . . ."

O'Bannon felt himself blush as the teacher continued. "I asked if you could remember the three main issues in setting up the first joint magical school between the westward expansion wizards and the indigenous American tribes in the Arizona and New Mexico territories."

"Oh. Oh yeah. Um, well . . . Um . . ." He dug into his mind for the information. He should know it. History had always been one of his favorite subjects.

"Oh. Okay, yeah. Um, well, there was the thing about transfiguration and how some tribes didn't want people turning into certain animals because it went against some of their traditions."

"Excellent answer, Jimmy. It's nice to know you're paying attention in my class." Miss Venatici said rather playfully. "Now can you make me the happiest teacher in Salem and tell me the other two issues?"

"Oh yeah. Uh, well. There was . . ." _Oh crap. What were the other two?_

Suddenly one of the windows opened of its own accord. An origami-looking bird fluttered into the classroom. Miss Venatici held out her hand. The paper bird landed on her palm. She unfolded the paper, scanned it for a few seconds, and looked up.

"The Headmistress would like to see the following students in her office. Artimus Rand. Jared Diaz. Rosa Infante, and Jimmy O'Bannon."

A chorus of ominous "ooooohs" went up from the class. As Miss Venatici told them to settle down, the quartet exchanged looks.

"What the heck did we do?" O'Bannon muttered.

Rosa and Jared both shrugged.

"I bet it's about you charming Kensington Kadermass' bust," Artimus whispered.

"How could . . ."

"Yoo-hoo." Miss Venatici cut off O'Bannon. "I don't believe the Headmistress will want to be kept waiting."

The quartet packed up their books, put on their jackets and left the classroom.

Patches of snow covered the ground of the Salem Witches Institute, dotted by Colonial-style buildings of various sizes. The trees were bare of leaves.

"So can anyone think of a reason the Headmistress wants to see us?" Jared looked around at the others. "I mean, anyone blow up the Potions classroom? Imperius the Ardenturo hockey team to streak across campus?"

But O'Bannon wasn't listening. Hands stuffed into the pockets of his Boston Red Sox jacket, he trod across the brownish lawn.

"You have to get over her, Jimmy."

He turned to find Rosa walking next to him.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about. Or rather, _who _I'm talking about."

O'Bannon didn't respond. He turned away from her and focused on the large red and white Colonial-style Administration Building in the distance.

"It's been four months, Jimmy," Rosa continued. "Move on already."

"I'm fine," he said curtly.

"Yeah right. How many times have you zoned out in class thinking about Rana Rollingsworth?"

He gave Rosa a sideways glance, but again remained silent.

"Is she really worth all this angst? You acted the way you did because of the Projection Potion. She's the one who refuses to accept that fact."

"She said the potion magnified existing feelings of jealousy. That I already felt jealous of Gregory Lancemore because 'Mister Ladies Man' was her partner for that History of Magic project."

"And if it hadn't been for the Projection Potion, you would have kept those feelings under control. If she doesn't want to understand that, then she's not worth dwelling on one second longer."

O'Bannon's shoulders sagged. He didn't like Rosa's harsh tone whenever she talked about his ex-girlfriend. It was a shame, really. Rosa and Rana had been pretty good friends even before they attended Salem. Now Rosa made it a point to either ignore or glare at the Blazenrowe Seeker whenever they passed one another.

"Look . . ." Rosa gently clutched his arm. "I can set you up on another date."

O'Bannon rolled his eyes. Rosa's last two attempts at matchmaking hadn't gone very well.

"C'mon. Don't be like that. This time I can set you up with a girl you already know. Caitlyn Horner, one of the Chasers for the Krallenhurst Quidditch team. She broke up with her boyfriend a couple weeks ago and is in the market for a new guy."

"Oh yeah. A Quidditch player just coming off a break-up. Let's do that. After all, that worked out so well with Rana."

Rosa huffed and shook her head. "Fine then. Sorry for trying to help."

She slowed her pace and let O'Bannon get ahead of her. He didn't mind at all.

He came upon a small pile of snow and stomped on it hard. It didn't do much to alleviate his frustrations. Rana was just part of it. Looking back on the past year-and-a-half, O'Bannon realized his love life had been pretty damn sad. First there was Penny Nichols, whom he dated most of his Fifth Year. She hadn't been thrilled when O'Bannon earned the privilege of studying at Hogwarts for a year, and let him know it every chance she got. He thought things had been patched up before he left for Britain. He learned how wrong he'd been when Penny's owl appeared in the Great Hall one day with a letter telling him she couldn't wait a whole year for him to return to America and was moving on with her life.

A couple weeks later, he formed the hockey club at Hogwarts, where he met the Beauxbatons beauty Mireet Miradeaux. He'd developed a serious crush on her, even took her to the Yule Ball. Unfortunately, she had recently broken up with her long-time boyfriend in France, and was hesitant to get into another relationship, especially with someone who'd be heading back to another continent once the school year ended.

"I don't think I can take another heartbreak," she had told him.

O'Bannon accepted that and became very good friends with Mireet. Not that it did anything to lessen his feelings toward her.

After her, there came Rana.

Before he could dwell on it any more, they reached the Admin Building. O'Bannon opened the door and led the others inside and up the stairs to the top floor. They stood a couple feet from the arched wooden doors leading to Headmistress Esmeralda's office. Above them an elongated, elegantly carved wooden hawk's neck protruded from the wall.

"Jimmy O'Bannon, Jared Diaz, Rosa Infante, Artimus Rand," the bird spoke in a raspy voice. "The Headmistress is expecting you. Enter."

The doors swung open.

O'Bannon led them into the office. He spotted Headmistress Esmeralda sitting behind her desk. As soon as the doors closed behind them, he noticed three other people in the room. His eyes widened when he recognized two of them.

"Mom?"

"Aunt Liana?"

Jared and Rosa gawked at the Hispanic woman to their left.

"Hector?" Artimus blurted in surprise as he stared at his brother.

O'Bannon finally looked back to the plump old witch behind the desk. "Um, Headmistress. What's going on?"

Headmistress Esmeralda didn't smile. With a look of resignation, she stretched out her hand to a nearby couch. "Please sit down. There's something of vital importance we need to discuss with the four of you."

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	2. The Messangers

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**CHAPTER 2: THE MESSENGERS**

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"We're not in trouble, are we?" Artimus nervously tucked his chin against his chest.

"No. None of you is in trouble."

O'Bannon noted Headmistress Esmeralda's reaction. He expected maybe a slight chuckle from the old witch, knowing how fearful Artimus was at the slightest possibility of getting detention.

Instead, she held all four of them with a deadly serious gaze.

_Okay, if we're not in trouble, then what's going on?_ And what reason did Jared's mom and Artimus' brother have for being in the Headmistress' office? He then stared at the skinny young guy sitting near Hector Rand, wondering who he might be.

"Please, sit," Esmeralda insisted.

The quartet lowered themselves onto the couch, with O'Bannon sitting on the end. He peeked over at Liana Diaz, and bit his lip when he noticed her expression. Worry. Then again, that might be too generous a term. Maybe something more akin to dread.

_What could make her look like that?_ Jared's mom was an auror, for crying out loud. It would take a lot to make someone like that worry to such an extent.

"Obviously, you're wondering what Mrs. Diaz and Mr. Rand are doing here, along with our guest, Roger Luzinski." Esmeralda nodded to the young man with the goatee. "They're all here on business for the Guild of the Light."

"Whoa," Jared said breathlessly.

O'Bannon's mouth fell open. Guild of the Light business? And they were letting him and his friends sit in? The astonishment nearly paralyzed him. He'd spoken to both Rosa's and Jared's parents, as well as Headmistress Esmeralda, about joining the Guild with Rosa, Jared and Artimus. While they had all turned 17, the Headmistress decided to wait until they graduated before initiating them.

"Wait." Rosa held up a hand. "Are you gonna let us officially join now?" Her face lit up with hope.

"No, honey." Liana Diaz shook her head. "You'll all still have to wait until graduation. But . . . there is something the Headmistress would like you to do."

O'Bannon furrowed his brow. It seemed like Mrs. Diaz had to make a real effort to get out that last sentence.

"You okay, Mom?" asked Jared.

Mrs. Diaz rubbed her hands together nervously as Headmistress Esmeralda spoke.

"A situation has come up. A very grave situation."

The quartet all focused on the Headmistress as she continued.

"What I'm about to tell you is highly confidential. You are not to discuss it with _anyone_ else at this school. Understood?"

The four teens nodded. Tingles went through O'Bannon's stomach and spine. He scooted forward on the couch, waiting anxiously for the Headmistress to reveal this big secret.

"Recently, the Guild learned of a plot by American Death Eaters to construct a Longathian Tunnel between the U.S. and Britain."

"A what?" O'Bannon canted his head.

"A magical tunnel," Esmeralda answered. "It's very complicated to build, but when completed and connected between continents, it can condense a trip that would take days by boat into just a couple hours of walking. One of the big advantages is they are harder to detect than a port key or traveling via Floo Network. There were quite a few between this country and England during the last war. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's followers put them to good use shuttling supplies, reinforcements and messengers between our two countries. Both the Guild and the Order managed to shut them all down. But now the Death Eaters are building a new one."

"So does the Department of Magic know about it?" asked O'Bannon. "Are they trying to find it?"

Hector snorted. "Forget the Department. It's been infiltrated at the highest levels. The Guild even has reason to believe the Deputy Secretary of Magic himself is under an Imperius Curse."

"Seriously?" A stunned look fell over Artimus' face.

O'Bannon figured his own face looked the same. The number two man for the Department of Magic, controlled by Death Eaters?

"Is there any way we can contact the British?" Rosa looked from one adult to the next.

"You know as well as I do the issues with sending messages to Britain," Mrs. Diaz pointed out. "What with the way they're scrutinizing every owl or Floo call into and out of that country. We can't even take the chance of sending coded messages given how thoroughly the Ministry is scanning everything. And we have to warn the Order of the Phoenix as soon as possible. We believe that tunnel is only days away from completion."

"From the way you're talking, it sounds like the Death Eaters have bigger plans for it than just running messages back and forth." Rosa pressed her palms against her knees.

"You're correct, Rosa." It was Headmistress Esmeralda who answered. "The information we received, and for obvious reasons we cannot divulge the source of it, suggests that when the tunnel is completed, hundreds of You-Know-Who's followers will stream through it to England, increasing that madman's dark army ten-fold."

"Jeez." Jared appeared stunned. "England could be drowning in Death Eaters soon."

"Not just Death Eaters," said Mrs. Diaz. "Would-be Death Eaters, giants, werewolves, vampires, wendigos, reptoids, fire elementals, shadow fairies."

"Hell's bells." O'Bannon grimaced at the thought of so many dark creatures flooding England. "Those are some serious reinforcements You-Know-Who's bringing in."

Esmeralda came forward in her seat. "Right now You-Know-Who is operating in the shadows, slowly consolidating his forces in Britain. But if he brings in all these Death Eaters and dark creatures, it would allow him to move much more quickly against the Ministry of Magic. And given how obsessed Minister Fudge is with denying You-Know-Who's return, I doubt the dark army will have much trouble conquering the Ministry. With his home country under his control, rest assured You-Know-Who will turn his attention to the rest of Europe, and eventually to North America."

The quartet said nothing. A shudder went through Artimus' body. Jared and Rosa exchanged looks of concern. O'Bannon interlocked his fingers just above his lap. He stared at them, his chest tightening. The faces of his friends from Hogwarts flashed through his mind. Fred and George, Lee Jordan, Angelina Johnson, Ginny Weasley, Dean Thomas, Michael Corner, Harkorth from the Durmstrang contingent.

And of course, Mireet Miradeaux.

His hands trembled. Anger wrapped around his fear. Damn the Ministry of Magic. Damn Cornelius Fudge. How the hell could any rational person deny the existence of one of the most evil beings to walk the planet, to the point of oppressing an entire country? What he wouldn't give to have that useless lump of crap in this very office so he could smack his ass around until he finally admitted You-Know-Who was back.

_It's on your head, Fudge, if any of my friends die because of that murdering bastard._

"Is anyone doing anything to stop this?" O'Bannon's voice rose with each word.

"Of course we are," Esmeralda replied. "The Guild is searching for the entry point of the Longathian Tunnel. Unfortunately, our source wasn't able to give us a specific location. We only know that the tunnel starts somewhere in New England."

O'Bannon sighed audibly and fell back into the couch. "Well, that narrows it down."

Headmistress Esmeralda twisted her mouth before going on. "There are no guarantees we will find the tunnel before You-Know-Who's reinforcements are sent through it. Therefore, it is imperative we warn the Order of the Phoenix. If we can't close down the tunnel on our end, perhaps they can do it on their end."

"But how do we warn them?" Artimus turned up his palms. "You all said yourself, it's impossible to get a message through to England without the Ministry intercepting it."

"That's where Roger comes in." Hector turned to the young wizard. "We both work at the Office of International Magical Travel. But since we can't use magical travel or communications with England, we're going to get around it by having Roger go back to his roots."

Artimus' face scrunched up in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm Muggle-born," Roger said. "Given the way You-Know-Who and his gang feel about my kind, it wasn't hard for Hector to convince me to join the Guild of the Light. Anyway, while the Ministry is keeping an eye on owls and Floo portals and the like, it's a good bet they're ignoring Muggle transportation."

Roger licked his lips and continued. "So, what I proposed to Headmistress Esmeralda, is we send someone to England on an airplane. Then they can find someone from the Order of the Phoenix and warn them about the Longathian Tunnel, fly back to the U.S., and Fudge's cronies and You-Know-Who's gang will be none the wiser."

"And who's going to do this?" O'Bannon tightened his intertwined fingers. He had a feeling he already knew the answer.

"You are," Esmeralda said flatly. "All four of you."

"Really?" Rosa almost sounded joyous.

"Us?" Artimus' voice cracked.

"Damn," Jared muttered.

O'Bannon remained silent. The entire world grew still around him. Him? Headmistress Esmeralda was giving this task to him and his friends?

"Wh-Why us?" Artimus stammered.

"I would prefer to send someone with more experience over there," said Esmeralda. "But quite frankly, the Guild needs all the experienced witches and wizards it has to locate and shut down this Longathian Tunnel. That is our top priority. Secondly, by mutual consent, none of us in the Guild know where the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix is, as they don't know where our headquarters is located. Security purposes, you see. We can't risk someone getting captured and giving the location for _both_ groups' headquarters. But we do know where some Order members are, a place you're very familiar with, Jimmy."

O'Bannon straightened, his eyes locked on the Headmistress. "Hogwarts."

"Precisely. You have to get into Hogwarts and alert either Headmaster Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall. You're known to them. They'll trust you."

"Don't you know the headmaster there?" asked Artimus. "How come you can't go?"  
Headmistress Esmeralda flattened her palms on her desk. She looked down silently for a few seconds, then lifted her gaze to the quartet. "Because I'm more needed here."

O'Bannon eyed the old witch, waiting for her explanation.

Instead, Mrs. Diaz provided it. "Headmistress Esmeralda has more experience than anyone in the Guild at locating and closing Longathian Tunnels. Time is short, and we can't afford to have her running around England with the tunnel so close to completion."

Esmeralda's mouth tightened. Her shoulders sagged a bit before she spoke. "I know you're all of age, but still I'm loathe to send students into a situation like this. This may not be as dangerous as fighting off Death Eaters and dark creatures to close a Longathian Tunnel, but there is an element of danger. If any of you are caught, you will be facing a long stay in Azkaban, and there will be nothing anyone in this country can do to get you out. However, you have been assisting the cause in certain ways, and you have proven yourselves in combat against Death Eaters. I don't think there are any other students at this school I'd entrust with a mission like this. Still, this is not something I will force you to do. The decision is entirely yours to make."

Tension gripped O'Bannon's muscles. Yes, he and his friends had been doing their part for both Esmeralda and Dumbledore. That mainly consisted of trying to convince other students of Lord Voldemort's return, identify potential recruits for the Guild, and also peg which students might be looking for a Dark Mark once they graduated.

But that was all minor league stuff compared to this.

His imagination conjured up dark, dank rooms with Dementors hovering around him. He'd heard a few stories about conditions in Azkaban. The Wizarding prisons in America sounded like five-star hotels compared to that place. O'Bannon had no desire to spend decades, or the rest of his life, in a place like that.

Yet he had promised Dumbledore and his friends at Hogwarts he would do whatever he could to help in the fight against Voldemort.

_If I chicken out, You-Know-Who might win in England. And if he wins here in America, people like me will be the first against the wall._

"I'm in." O'Bannon nodded.

"Count me in." . . . "Me, too." Rosa and Jared spoke on top of one another.

The three turned to Artimus at the end of the couch. The boy took slow, measured breaths. Slowly, he turned toward O'Bannon, Rosa and Jared. Worry radiated from Artimus' face.

"Yeah. I'm . . . I'm in, too." Artimus tightened his face, trying to force a mask of confidence.

Rosa smiled and rubbed Artimus' shoulderblades. Jared leaned over and tapped fists with him. O'Bannon gave him a thumbs up. He also caught sight of Hector Rand sucking on his bottom lip as he stared at his younger brother.

"So, when do we leave?" O'Bannon asked.

"I booked you on a flight from Logan International Airport to Glasgow." Roger stood up and reached into his robes. He pulled out four airline tickets. "It leaves at eleven forty-five tonight. You'll have one layover in Dublin before you reach Glasgow International. If everything goes according to schedule, you should be in Scotland tomorrow afternoon around five, local time."

Roger stuck a hand into his robes again, this time producing four wads of green paper and four pieces of silvery plastic.

"Here's Muggle currency and credit cards." He handed them to the quartet. "The paper money has been charmed so they'll assume the form of British pounds once you reach that country."

Jared examined the bills. "Is this a lot of Muggle money?"

"A thousand dollars for each of you. And the cash and credit cards are only to be used for necessities. Food, transportation, lodging. The Guild won't take too kindly to you using them to buy a new stereo system or big screen TV.

"You may also want to pick up some Muggle clothing." Roger looked at Jared, Rosa and Artimus. "No offense, but when it comes to fashion, the Wizarding World hasn't moved past the early Twentieth Century. You'll stick out like a sore thumb wearing the kind of clothes you normally do. And the last thing we want is for you to draw attention to yourselves."

"We already have some Muggle clothes," Rosa pointed out. "Jimmy's gotten us Bruins sweatshirts and Red Sox T-shirts. We can wear those."

"Don't."

All heads turned toward Mrs. Diaz.

"Roger said you can't afford to draw attention to yourselves. Clothing with words and logos draw attention. The plainer your clothes, the better. And Rosa, that also means doing without all those earrings you like to wear."

Rosa opened her mouth to argue. Her aunt cut her off.

"I'm serious. Your safety, and the success of your mission, are more important than some fashion statement. No earrings. Understood?"

Dejected, Rosa sighed. "Yes, Aunt Liana."

"Okay, now that we've ruined Rosa's day . . ." Jared swung his head left to right. "Can someone answer the really big question for me?"

"Which is?" Hector asked.

"How do we get into Hogwarts? I mean, with that Inquisitor woman, um . . ." Jared turned to O'Bannon. "What did you say her name was?"

"Umbridge.

"Yeah. With that Umbridge lady lording over the place with an iron fist, I don't think we'll be able to just waltz in through the front gate."

"Don't worry about that." O'Bannon gave his friend a dismissive wave. "One of the benefits of being a friend of Fred and George Weasley, you learn about all the secret passages into and out of Hogwarts. And once we're inside, I can find some ways to get us to Headmaster Dumbledore's office without being seen. Heck, how do you think we snuck into and out of Hogsmeade or stayed out past curfew so many times without getting caught?"

He held his breath for a moment after finishing the sentence. Neck muscles tightened, he hesitantly looked to Headmistress Esmeralda, who aimed a disapproving gaze at him.

After a few nervous seconds, the old witch sighed and shook her head. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

O'Bannon's muscles loosened.

Esmeralda stood. "Well, I'll let you get ready for your trip. Good luck to all of you, and please, be careful."

"We will." O'Bannon got to his feet, followed by Jared, Rosa and Artimus.

Esmeralda came round her desk and shook their hands. Mrs. Diaz gave her son and her niece long hugs before heading over to O'Bannon.

"You take care of each other, okay," she whispered in his ear as she embraced him.

"We will, Mrs. Diaz. We always do."

Mrs. Diaz finally hugged Artimus. The moment after she let him go, Hector stepped up to him.

"You sure about this, little brother?"

Artimus stiffened, trying to force a confident expression on his face. "Yeah. Yeah, I can do this."

Hector clasped his brother on the shoulder and smiled. "Good luck. Stay safe."

Artimus nodded. He moved his arms out to the side, paused, and gave his brother a manly hug, with more slaps on the back than actual embracing.

O'Bannon noticed Rosa gazing at the scene with a huge smile. Even he felt a tingle of warmth inside him. The Rands were not big on public displays of affection, or any sort of affection given what he knew about Artimus' father and his other two jagoff brothers, Horace and Arcadius. Hector seemed the only one in that family to show genuine concern for Artimus rather than make him feel worthless.

After Headmistress Esmeralda told them she would explain their absence to "personal business," they left the office. The quartet walked a few feet before slowing to a halt and looking at one another.

"Wow." A look of astonishment fell over Rosa's face. "Can you believe they want us to do this?"

"I know." Jared's face lit up with excitement. "I'll tell you, it sure beats playing junior recruiter for the Guild. I mean, we're actually doing something really important."

O'Bannon nodded silently. He tried to feel confident, pump himself up for this. Isn't this what he wanted? To be part of some big mission? To make a real contribution to the war effort?

Instead fear and trepidation formed a maelstrom in his soul. He thought being caught and spending the rest of his life in Azkaban would be his greatest fear. But that barely made it to the forefront of his mind. Instead he thought of his friends in England, and what would happen to them if he failed. He thought of Headmaster Dumbledore, Headmistress Esmeralda, Mrs. Diaz, how they were depending on him and his friends. How could he let them down with something this important? He even thought of his parents. How would they react if he never came home again?

_We can do this. We've already fought Death Eaters . . . and beat them. We don't even have to fight anybody. Just sneak in to Hogwarts, tell Dumbledore about the Longathian Tunnel, and sneak out. No prob._

_We can do this._

_We can do this._

O'Bannon wondered how many times he'd have to repeat that before he stopped worrying.

**NEXT: WIZARDS ON A PLANE**

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_In the description of the dark creatures destined for England, I based reptoids on the real world reports of "lizard man" sightings throughout North and South Carolina for the past few decades. The Wendigo is from Algonquin mythology. It is a malevolent spirit that can possess people who engage in cannibalism, turning them into creatures who continue to feed on humans. _


	3. Wizards On A Plane

**CHAPTER 3: WIZARDS ON A PLANE**

* * *

"Please put your bag here and step through there." The portly African-American woman in the blue security uniform nodded to the conveyor belt, then the square open frame next to it.

Jared Diaz canted his head. "Um, why?"

"We have to scan your bag as well as your person."

"Scan?" Jared checked out the devices. "How the heck are you supposed to do that?"

The guard sighed and narrowed her eyes at Jared.

Jimmy O'Bannon reached around Rosa Infante and slapped Jared on the shoulder. "Dude, trust me. Just do it."

Holding his breath, Jared hesitantly laid his backpack on the conveyor belt. He watched it disappear into the maw of the boxy machine, a forlorn look on his face, like he may never see it again.

"Please step through the metal detector," the guard said flatly.

"What?" Jared's face scrunched up. "We can't bring metal on a plane?"

Rosa leaned closer to O'Bannon and whispered, "What's wrong with metal? Does it mess up the plane or something?"

O'Bannon closed his eyes. _This is gonna be a long friggin' flight._

"Just step through the metal detector," the guard sounded impatient.

A few people in line behind them grumbled. O'Bannon nodded emphatically for Jared to go through.

Pausing for a second, he put one foot forward and slid through.

The metal detector didn't go off.

Sighing audibly, Jared went to the end of the x-ray machine conveyor belt and beamed when he saw his backpack intact.

Rosa went next. She put her backpack into the x-ray machine, then reached into her pants pocket. "Um, I have this pocket watch made out of metal. That won't do anything bad to the plane, will it?"

The guard wrinkled her chubby face in annoyance. "You should have put all metal objects in one of the trays at the entrance to this station. Here. Give it to me."

"I'll get it back, right? That watch belonged to my grandfather."

"You'll get it back." The guard practically snatched the golden watch from Rosa's hand.

Rosa went through the metal detector without incident and collected her pocket watch and backpack at the other end.

O'Bannon stepped up to the guard and smiled. "You'll have to forgive my friends. They grew up, um, in the country. Farm kids, you know."

"Uh-huh." The guard appeared not to give a crap.

O'Bannon went through security without a problem, as did Artimus Rand.

"So, let me get this straight," Jared said as they walked through the spacious corridor of Logan International Airport. "That box thing back there could actually see into our backpacks?"

"Yeah. It's an x-ray machine," O'Bannon answered.

"And they can do that without magic?" Jared's eyes widened. "That is just too cool."

"What about the metal?" Rosa spoke quicker than normal. "Why do they have a thing about metal on a plane?"

"It's not metal, per say," O'Bannon told her as they turned to the left, following the signs to the appropriate gate. "They're really looking for guns and knives so people don't use them to hijack the plane."

"Hijack?" Artimus wore a quizzical expression.

"You know, take over the plane."

Artimus still looked confused. "Why would anyone want to _hijack_ a plane?"

O'Bannon shrugged. "To make a political statement, mostly. At least that's the case for Muggle terrorist groups."

"Does it happen a lot?" Rosa asked.

"It used to during the 70s and 80s. Honestly it almost never happens nowadays."

Rosa nodded, though she didn't look one hundred percent convinced.

They eventually arrived at their assigned gate. Once there they had nearly an hour to wait before their flight took off.

O'Bannon, Jared and Artimus headed off to the various stores and cafes lining the terminal. Rosa remained in the waiting area, drumming her fingers on her knees. O'Bannon returned with a couple bags of Doritos and a Pepsi. Artimus had two handfuls of his favorite Muggle candy, Twix Bars.

"I still can't understand how no one in the Wizarding World ever thought of this." He held a candy bar in front of him. "Chocolate covered cookies with caramel. Amazing how Muggles can cram so much stuff into one piece of candy without magic. Too bad more purebloods don't appreciate them."

"I think it'll take more than a candy bar for that to happen." O'Bannon half frowned.

Jared came back chewing on a huge icing covered sticky bun, a look of pure delight on his face.

"What's that?" Rosa asked her cousin as he flopped down next to her.

"I got it from this booth called Cinnabon." He took another bite and moaned with joy. "Merlin, this is so good. This has to rank up there with cheeseburgers and Dunkin' Donuts as my favorite Muggle foods."

Jared swallowed and turned to Rosa. "You oughta get one, too. I'm telling you, you'll love it."

Rosa eyed the sticky bun warily. "Are you kidding? If I eat that I'll have to run five miles just to burn it off."

"You should run five miles anyway. You're starting to look a bit chunky around the thighs, cuz." Jared chuckled and took another bite of his sticky bun.

Rosa's face tightened. She glared at Jared. O'Bannon feigned shock at Jared's burn, while Artimus covered his mouth and silently laughed.

"You know . . ." Rosa brought up her elbows. "I can't believe how late it is. Boy, am I tired."

She yawned and stretched out her arms.

Her left hand smacked Jared's right hand, the one holding the sticky bun. It smashed into his face. He jerked in surprise. The bun tumbled down his dark sweater, onto his lap, and fell to the floor.

He swung his head toward Rosa, mouth agape, icing and brown crumbs decorating his face.

Rosa gasped in mock innocence. "Oops. I'm sorry."

O'Bannon and Artimus convulsed in hysterics as Jared wiped at the icing and crumbs on his face. He only succeeded in making his hands sticky.

"Dammit." Jared picked up his fallen bun and examined it. Dust and hair and God only knew what else covered it.

"Oh, I dare you to eat," a grinning O'Bannon urged.

Jared scowled at him. "I'll be in the bathroom."

He got up, muttering a few choice expletives, slammed the half-eaten bun into a garbage can and stomped toward the nearest men's room.

Rosa folded her arms, a satisfied smile on her face.

Jared returned a few minutes later, all washed up. He'd just rounded a row of seats when a little boy about four-years-old with a crown of blond hair darted past him, arms extended and howling. Jared skidded to a halt, barely avoiding the boy.

"Jeez, kid. Watch it."

The boy didn't even acknowledge Jared. He ran around the row again, wailing loudly.

"Nicky, stop it," said a round woman with curled blond hair and glasses pulling a wheeled travel bag.

Nicky halted near a plaster pillar. He looked it up and down, then pounded on it, howling again.

"Nicky, settle down. Come sit with Momma."

She repeated herself three times before Nicky joined her in a seat across from the quartet. Only instead of sitting down, Nicky knelt in front of his seat and beat on it like a drum. It took his mother several "stop its" before Nicky actually stopped.

"Please tell me that little brat isn't on our flight." The corners of Rosa's mouth twisted in irritation.

"I wish." O'Bannon frowned.

Rosa rolled her eyes. "Do me a favor. If I _ever_ consider having children, just hit me with a Redactor Curse."

O'Bannon watched as Nicky stood on his seat and danced around, making unintelligible noises.

"Yeah, I think the woman I marry, we're going to make an Unbreakable Vow. No children."

The quartet did their best to ignore Nicky's babbling and jumping and pounding. O'Bannon, Artimus and Jared killed time talking about the upcoming U.S. Quidditch Association season, yesterday's insanely hard Potions test and trying to convince Artimus the hot redhead from the Jingosocke Hall Wizard Chess Club really liked him. Rosa, however, kept to herself, examining her folded hands while her right foot bounced up and down. O'Bannon wondered if she might be nervous. He doubted it. Someone as adventurous as Rosa would be looking forward to flying on an airplane. Though remembering the handful of times he flew, there wasn't much to look forward to.

_Well, if you're a Muggle, that is. _He remembered how awed Rosa had been the first time he showed her the microwave oven at his home. If a simple device like that astounded her, what must she think of an airplane?

Another thought struck him.

_Maybe she's thinking about our mission._

Before he could dwell on it further, a voice from the loudspeaker above announced boarding would begin for their flight.

They grabbed their backpacks and stood . . . except Rosa.

"Yo, Rosa," Jared blurted. "Shake a leg."

"Huh?" Her head snapped up. "Um. Yeah, sure."

She grabbed her backpack and slowly rose.

"You okay?" asked O'Bannon.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

O'Bannon cocked an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"I said I'm fine," Rosa about snapped. "Let's . . . let's just go."

O'Bannon wanted to ask again, but given the tone of her last answer didn't dare. He just nodded and joined the procession toward the access door.

It was there, waiting in line to give the flight attendant his boarding pass, that reality set in. Twelve hours from now they'd be in Scotland, headed for Hogwarts. Not for a visit, but to sneak into the school and warn Headmaster Dumbledore about the Longathian Tunnel.

O'Bannon's heart pounded harder. He thought of all the dark creatures bound for England to bolster You-Know-Who's army. Would England really fall if the Order or the Guild didn't find the tunnel in time?

An icy feeling spread across his shoulders. Butterflies the size of dragons darted through his stomach. God in Heaven, did the fate of two continents, the fate of millions of people, rest on _his_ shoulders?

"Ticket please."

"Huh?" O'Bannon looked at the smiling flight attendant, a pretty Asian woman.

"Oh, um, yeah. Here."

The woman ripped off the bottom portion of his ticket and handed it back to him. "Enjoy your flight."

O'Bannon simply nodded and headed through the door.

_You can do this. You've fought Death Eaters. You can do this._

The quartet's seats were located toward the middle of the plane. O'Bannon and Artimus sat on one side and Rosa and Jared on the other.

And right behind Jared and Rosa sat little Nicky and his mother.

"You gotta be kidding," Jared muttered, rolling his eyes to the seat behind him.

Midnight arrived by the time everyone took their seats. The plane looked about half full. Small video monitors lowered from the ceiling.

"They have TVs on planes?" Jared gaped at the monitors.

"Yeah," O'Bannon answered. "We even get an in-flight movie. Hopefully one that doesn't suck."

A brief presentation on safety instructions played on the monitor. O'Bannon casually watched it and checked over the accompanying safety pamphlet. Rosa, he noticed, studied her pamphlet with Hermione Granger-like intensity.

"When are we gonna go?" little Nicky shouted. "When are we gonna go?"

Rosa crushed the sides of her pamphlet.

The plane taxied onto the runway. After sitting still for a few minutes, the whine of the engines grew louder. A bump vibrated the plane. It rolled down the runway, faster and faster.

O'Bannon clenched his armrests. A feeling of finality closed around him.

_No turning back now._

The plane rose into the air.

Someone screamed.

Actually, two people screamed.

Little Nicky unleashed a wail that would make a Banshee cringe.

It barely blotted out Rosa's shriek.

"Calm down, Rosa." Jared gripped his cousin's arm. "It's gonna be fine."

"How do you know?" Rosa's voice quivered. "How can they keep something this big in the air without . . .

"I said it's gonna be fine," Jared cut her off before she could say "magic." "Jimmy wouldn't bring us on this thing if he didn't think it was safe."

The plane dipped.

Rosa practically hyperventilated.

O'Bannon glanced at Artimus. He gripped his armrests tightly and clenched his jaw. Still he was dealing with this better than Rosa.

O'Bannon turned back to Rosa. His eyes widened when he watched the color drain from her face. He couldn't believe it. She looked terrified. Rosa Infante. Miss I-Love-Adventure. Miss I'm-Going-To-Be-An-Auror. If he had to bet which of his three pureblood friends would be scared of being on a plane, his money would be on Artimus. Rosa wouldn't even cross his mind.

The plane eventually leveled out. Rosa calmed down, though she still had a death grip on her arm rests. A stewardess soon came by with the beverage cart. Both O'Bannon and Artimus ordered Cokes and also received their complementary bags of peanuts.

A perplexed look fell over Artimus' face as he held up his little bag. "This isn't the only thing they give us to eat, is it?"

"On a twelve hour flight? Heck no. We'll get a meal later on. Probably two since the flight's so long."

"Thank Merlin for that. Still . . ." Artimus examined his tiny bag. "Why are these bags so small? There can't be more than five or six peanuts in here."

O'Bannon shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe this airline's cheap."

He just took a sip of his Coke when he heard Rosa blurt, "I'll take anything with alcohol in it."

"May I see some ID?"

"ID? I'm seventeen."

"I'm sorry. Unless you're twenty-one, we can't serve you alcoholic beverages."

"What!?" Rosa sounded appalled. "Twenty-one? That's ridiculous."

"That's the law. What else would you like? We have Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite . . ."

"Nevermind," Rosa snapped.

As the beverage cart rolled past, O'Bannon looked over to her. "Rosa. Calm down."

She glowered at him and mouthed, "Stupid Muggle laws."

This time, O'Bannon agreed. Rosa would probably deal with flying better if she had a slight buzz. Or better yet, if she was completely hammered.

An hour into the flight, O'Bannon fell asleep. Hogwarts appeared before him. He wanted to walk toward the castle, but his feet remained rooted to the ground.

Several students skated around a frozen pond. O'Bannon recognized them. Members of the Triad hockey team and members of the Blazenrowe Hall hockey team from Salem. What were they doing on the same ice?

Hermione sat under a tree reading a book. Merak Mather and Draco Malfoy stood on the steps leading to the castle telling off-color jokes about Muggle-borns. Harry Potter flew above them all on his broom with . . . Rana Rollingsworth? What the . . .

Suddenly everyone vanished. O'Bannon felt the urge to run.

He still couldn't move.

A horde of creatures charged across the grounds. Werewolves, giants, wendigos. In front of them stood a lone figure.

Nymphadora Tonks, the auror who'd helped him during the Projection Potion incident.

O'Bannon tried to pull out his wand. He had to help Tonks.

He couldn't move.

Panic engulfed him. He tried to call out to her, tell her to run.

His mouth hung open silently.

The monsters drew closer to Tonks.

"I want soda!"

O'Bannon's eyes snapped open. He cringed as light flooded his vision.

"I want soda!"

O'Bannon groaned and turned around. Little Nicky was bouncing on his, singing, "Soda, soda, soda!"

"Nicky, please be good for momma," his mother said half-heartedly.

"I guess it was too much to wish for him to sleep for the rest of the flight," muttered Artimus, who sounded like he just woke up.

O'Bannon rubbed his eyes and noticed sunlight filtering through the open windows of the plane. _Man, how long was I out?_ He checked his watch. 6:37 a.m. Boston time, that is. He'd have to remember to reset his watch.

He checked on Jared and Rosa. The cousins had switched seats, so Jared now sat by the window.

"Man, can you believe this?" Jared said in a hushed voice to Rosa. "You can't get a view like this on a broom. This plane is so cool."

Rosa didn't answer. She sat rigidly, staring ahead and nervously rubbing her fingers.

"Well, at least someone's enjoying this flight." O'Bannon yawned.

"Actually, this isn't as bad as I thought it'd be." Artimus stretched out his long legs.

"Even with the cheap-ass bag of peanuts?"

Artimus chuckled. He then sighed and pushed himself back in his seat. "Hey, Jimmy."

"Yeah?"

"I'm just thinking. What if we warn the Order of the Phoenix about the Longathian Tunnel and they still can't find it? What if all those dark creatures make it to England?"

O'Bannon worked his jaw back and forth. "I've thought about that a few times. I just figure the chances of finding that thing are better with two groups looking for it instead of one. Besides, I'm sure Headmaster Dumbledore will have a plan to deal with those creatures if they can't find the tunnel in time. He's a pretty shrewd guy."

"And you really think we can sneak into Hogwarts without anyone finding out?"

"Hey, I did it plenty of times with Fred and George and Lee. Trust me, we got the easy part of this mission."

"Gummy Bears!" Nicky hollered. "Gimmie Gummy Bears!"

O'Bannon clenched his jaw, trying to tune out the annoying brat.

Artimus chewed on his lower lip for a moment. "You think they'll be this easy once we join the Guild of the Light?"

"I don't know." O'Bannon shrugged. "I figure they'll start us off with some menial stuff before we can take on an entire army of Death Eaters by ourselves."

Artimus responded with a forced grin.

"Still," O'Bannon continued. "We don't have to worry about that until after graduation."

Artimus nodded. After a few seconds of silence he said, "So any idea what you're going to do after graduation? I mean, job-wise?"

O'Bannon slouched in his seat. "I still don't know. I mean, if I was a Muggle I'd be looking to go to college, maybe play hockey at some school like BU or Maine. But here . . . I don't know. I was thinking maybe become a sports reporter for _The All Seeing Eye _or the Wizard Broadcast Network. Of course, I have a lot more experience with hockey than Quidditch, so who knows if they'll . . ."

The plane suddenly bucked.

Artimus gasped.

Little Nicky shrieked.

"What the hell was that?" Rosa clenched her armrests and stared at O'Bannon in wide-eyed terror.

"It's just some turbulence. It happens."

"Can't they do anything about it?"

The plane shook again. Rosa's head whipped in all direction, the panic clear on her face.

"Rosa, this is a common thing."

"Well, why does it happen?"

"I don't know. Something to do with the air or something. Look, we just have to ride it out. We'll be fine."

Another tremor went through the plane. Rosa yelped. Little Nicky wailed.

"Stop it," said the boy's mother. "Be good."

Little Nicky continued to cry.

"You sure this is normal?" Tension radiated from Artimus.

"I went through it a couple times on my way back to Boston last year. I got through it without a problem." O'Bannon paused. "So what about you?"

"Huh?"

"After graduation. You still plan on working for your dad?"

"That's what he wants." Artimus cast his eyes to his lap.

"Is that what you want?"

"I don't know. I mean, my family's owned that chain of magical supply shops for over two hundred years."

"So? He's already got Horace and Arcadius working for him. I think the family business is in good hands."

Artimus thudded his head against the back of his seat. "I'd . . . I'd like to try to do something. On my own. But you know, my father wasn't happy when Hector went to work for the Department of Magic. He thinks being a civil servant is . . . well, beneath our family. I think he sort of looks at Hector as a failure. And if I do something outside the family business, is he going to think I'm a failure?"

Another bout of turbulence rattled the plane. Rosa took quick, panicked breaths. Nicky screamed his friggin' head off.

"If I give you your Gummy Bears, will you be good?" Nicky's mother reached into her handbag.

"Gummy Bears! I want Gummy Bears!"

O'Bannon sighed and turned back to Artimus. "Look, man. You gotta do what's best for you."

"And what if my father doesn't approve?"

_Then screw him,_ O'Bannon wanted to say. "You are seventeen, you know. You're of age. Maybe you should try to make him understand you wanna find your own way in the world."

"Sure, he'll accept that. Like he has any faith in me to succeed on my own."

"Well here's you're chance to prove him wrong. And when you do succeed . . ."

The plane bounced.

O'Bannon glimpsed Little Nicky tearing open his bag of Gummy Bears. Little pieces of candy erupted from the bag and dropped all over the floor.

"No! No! NOOOOO!!"

He kicked the back of Rosa's chair. She slammed her palms on her armrest.

"My Gummy Bears!" Little Nicky bawled very, _very _loudly.

"Nicky, stop it," his mother urged.

"My Gummy Bears!" Nicky kicked Rosa's chair again.

Turbulence thumped the plane again. Rosa shut her eyes tight. Her head shook.

"My Gummy Bears!" Nicky kicked Rosa's chair again. "NOO!!"

He kicked it a fourth time.

Rosa growled and shot to her feet. She grasped the top of her chair and leaned over it, resembling a hawk diving on a mouse.

"IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP AND IF YOU DON'T STOP KICKING MY CHAIR, I SWEAR I AM GOING TO TURN YOU INTO A SLUG AND STOMP YOUR LITTLE ASS INTO THE FLOOR!!"

Little Nicky shivered as he gaped at Rosa, whose teeth were bared.

Nicky cried louder than ever.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!!"

Nicky still cried. His mother covered his little body with hers.

"Get away from my son!"

"Rosa, chill!" O'Bannon got to his feet.

"Rosa, what the hell's wrong with you?" Jared took hold of his cousin's shoulders and started pulling her back.

"What's going on here?" A stewardess hurried down the aisle, another one trailing her.

"This girl threatened my son!" Nicky's mother hugged the boy protectively.

"He keeps kicking my chair and he won't shut up!"

The lead stewardess turned to her partner. "Go alert the captain that we have an out of control passenger. We may have to divert the plane."

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	4. Illegal Entry

**CHAPTER 4: ILLEGAL ENTRY**

Panic flooded O'Bannon. His arms began to shake.

"Ma'am. Sit back down." The older stewardess, who had an elongated face covered with too much make-up, ordered Rosa.

"Me? What about him?" She stabbed a finger at Little Nicky, who was completely wrapped in his mother's arms. "Tell him to stop kicking my chair! And do something about this turbulence!"

"Ma'am, stop shouting. You're disturbing the other passengers."

O'Bannon looked from Rosa to the other stewardess, a petite young black woman, who made her way toward the front of the plane.

"Hey, give her a break." Jared grasped Rosa's shoulders protectively. "This is her first flight."

"That's not an excuse for screaming and threatening a little boy," said the stewardess.

"That 'little boy' has been a brat since before we left the damn airport!" Rosa bellowed mere inches from the stewardess' face.

"Ma'am." The stewardess' tone became more demanding. "You _will _settle down right now. Are you aware of the legal penalties for disrupting a flight?"

O'Bannon gulped. Waves of hot and cold washed over him. Would they turn back to Boston? Or this long into the flight would they head for Iceland instead? Would the cops detain Rosa? All four of them? How the hell could they alert the Order of the Phoenix then?

Another bout of turbulence jolted the plane. The older stewardess swayed from side to side, as did Rosa.

"Will you do something about all this shaking?" Rosa pounded a fist on the top of her seat.

"There's nothing we can do about it," the stewardess replied. "And if you don't calm down right now we will press charges against you."

"Don't threaten my cousin," Jared warned.

The stewardess drew back her head. "Are you threatening me, Sir?"

O'Bannon clenched his teeth. He'd hoped Jared would be able to settle down Rosa. Instead he seemed to be making things worse.

O'Bannon undid his seatbelt and got to his feet.

"Sir." The stewardess turned to him. "Please sit down."

"Look, she's my friend, all right?" O'Bannon held up his hands non-threateningly. "I'm just going to help her."

"You have to return to your seat," the stewardess demanded.

O'Bannon bit his lip. Now _he_ risked being arrested as soon as they landed.

But he had to press on.

"Please. My friend grew up on a farm. She's never even been to a big city until today." He hoped the BS line he used with the security guard at Logan would score at least a couple points with this stewardess. Right now he needed every advantage he could get, no matter how small. "Just let me talk to her, okay?"

Without waiting for the stewardess' permission, he slid around her and stood face-to-face with Rosa.

"Rosa." He gently held her shoulders. "You have to calm down. Everything's going to be fine, okay?"

"No it's not." She shook her head, her voice trembling. "I-I can't do this, Jimmy. I can't be on this damn thing any more!"

O'Bannon wrapped his arms around Rosa and drew her into a fierce hug. He pressed his face into her hair, his lips inches from her ear.

"Think about the mission." He prayed he'd said it softly enough for only Rosa to hear. He had a good idea the sort of alarm bells a statement like that would set off for the crew of a Trans-Atlantic flight.

O'Bannon felt Rosa tense in his arms.

"Rosa, you have got to get it together. If they divert this flight, if they arrest us, there's no way we're going to get to England. If we don't warn the Order, a lot of people there are going to die. _My friends are going to die."_

Rosa took a slow, ragged breath.

"You have trusted me since we were eleven." O'Bannon stroked Rosa's curled black hair. "I'm asking you to trust me now, and believe me when I tell you everything's going to be fine. As bad as this turbulence is, we'll get through it. We'll land in Scotland without any problems. You have to believe me. Say you believe me."

She took another breath, this one a bit steadier. "I-I do, Jimmy."

"Okay. Now c'mon. You're gonna be an auror. You can tough this out. I have faith in you."

Rosa's embrace tightened. He, in turn, hugged her tighter. He pulled away and stared into her face. Rosa's eyes glistened. Her bottom lip trembled.

"You okay now?" O'Bannon cupped Rosa's cheek.

She gave a short, sharp nod. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll be fine."

"See?" O'Bannon turned to the stewardess. "She's all right now. Okay?"

The stewardess didn't change her stony expression. Her harsh gaze flickered back and forth from O'Bannon to Rosa.

"Lindsay." The other stewardess reappeared. "The captain wants to know if we need to declare an emergency and divert to Reykjavik."

O'Bannon held his breath as he stared at Lindsay, pleading silently with his eyes. A horrifying vision played in his head. He and his three friends sitting in some jail in Iceland while Death Eaters and dark creatures rampaged throughout England.

_Please . . . please._

The stewardess drew a breath. She turned to her partner. "Tell the Captain it looks like the situation is under control." She then aimed a stern look at Rosa. "But if there is _one_ more outburst from you, we will divert this plane and you will face legal repercussions. Understand?"

Rosa nodded, the moisture in her eyes growing by the second.

"I don't want her sitting anywhere near my son." Little Nicky's mother glowered at Rosa.

"Hey, Lady." Jared whipped his head toward the woman. "This wouldn't have happened if your kid wasn't acting like a maniac."

"Don't you dare call my Nicky that!"

Jared opened his mouth to rebut that. O'Bannon emphatically slashed his hand across his throat. He already lucked out diffusing one situation. He doubted the flight crew would tolerate another.

Jared closed his mouth and just narrowed his eyes at Little Nicky's mother.

"We do have a couple empty seats near the front of the plane, Lindsay," said the other stewardess.

Lindsay nodded. "Okay. Miss, we're going to move you to the front of the plane. And I want one of you with her." She looked from O'Bannon to Jared.

"I'll go." O'Bannon nodded. He took Rosa by the hand and followed the other stewardess. Jared patted his cousin on the back before she left.

O'Bannon half-gazed at the floor. Little tingles crept over his neck as he felt the eyes of the other passengers on him.

The other stewardess silently directed them to their new seats. Rosa took the middle one while O'Bannon sat along the aisle. He glanced at the portly couple across from him. Neither of them looked thrilled at sitting near the "out of control" passenger.

He turned back to Rosa. She slumped in her seat, not facing him.

"You okay, Rosa?"

She responded with a barely perceptible nod.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Her voice nearly broke.

O'Bannon frowned. Rosa was definitely not fine. His neck muscles tightened, fighting down the lump forming in his throat. Rosa had to be one of the most confident, strong-willed witches he'd ever known. And she had crumbled into a trembling, terrified mass before dozens of Muggles. He could feel the embarrassment radiating from her body.

And there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. Rosa did not like to show weakness. But right now it looked like she was about to break down. O'Bannon knew if he tried to comfort her she'd probably yell at him to leave her alone.

The last thing he wanted was for Rosa to do _any_ yelling.

He reached down and gave Rosa's wrist a gentle squeeze. She barely acknowledged it. Instead she tried to curl up best she could into a ball and hide from the judgmental eyes of the passengers and flight crew.

**XXXXX**

The rest of the flight to Dublin, Ireland passed without incident. The quartet had an hour-fifty minute layover before proceeding to Glasgow International.

"I'll be in the ladies room," Rosa stated as soon as they entered the terminal. She didn't wait for any of them to reply before she took off for the nearest bathroom.

"Damn, I've never seen her lose it like that before." Jared shook his head as he watched his cousin shove open a bathroom door.

"I don't know," said Artimus. "That _turbo-linz_ stuff was pretty nerve-wracking. I can't understand it. The Muggles can put something that big in the air without magic, but they can't stop it from shaking?"

They stood against the wall across from the bathroom and waited for Rosa.

And waited . . . and waited.

Fifteen minutes passed without any sign of her.

"Too bad we don't have a second girl in our little group." Jared shifted his weight from his left foot to his right. "We could send her in there to check on Rosa."

O'Bannon sighed. If it hadn't been for that Slytherin bitch and her damn Projection Potion they might have had another girl with them. Rana Rollingsworth.

"You think she's crying in there?" Artimus winced, as if what he had just said was heresy. They all knew Rosa hated crying, even in private. "You think maybe one of us should talk to her when she comes out?"

Jared emitted a choked-off laugh. "Be my guest. You really think she's gonna wanna talk about what happened on the plane?"

"Well, we are her friends," Artimus went on. "I figure we should say something about it."

"You wanna play MBS healer with her, be my guest." Jared referred to mind, body and spirit healers, or what Muggles would call a psychologist. "Just don't be surprised if she hexes your ass off."

Artimus' shoulders sagged.

Five minutes later, Rosa strode out of the ladies room. The mask of determination she wore still couldn't conceal her puffy, red eyes.

"Um, Rosa," Artimus muttered, his eyes darting away from the witch's face. "Are you -"

"Let's get something to eat." Rosa cut him off. She spun on her heal and walked away.

O'Bannon turned to Jared and Artimus and nodded for them to follow. They said nothing about Rosa's "incident" during the rest of their layover. The tone of her voice made it clear.

The matter was not to be discussed. Ever.

**XXXXX**

The sun was setting by the time the reached Glasgow. The dragon-sized butterflies rematerialized in O'Bannon's stomach as he stepped off the plane. The mission filled his mind. He prayed they had no difficulties finding Dumbledore or McGonagall. He tried to block out the consequences if they failed.

_Don't think that way._ As a hockey player, he knew the word "failure" could not be anywhere in your head from the moment you hit the ice. When you started thinking, _what if I fail_, the chances increase that you will fail.

_Positive thoughts_, he told himself. _We will contact the Order of the Phoenix and they will stop You-Know-Who's reinforcements._

"So what now, Fearless Leader?" Jared asked him.

"Well, Hogsmeade isn't too far from here. We just need to find a nice, secluded place and Apparate to the village."

"No."

The three boys turned to Rosa. O'Bannon cranked an eyebrow. "What?"

"I don't think we should Apparate to Hogsmeade."

"Well we can't Apparate to Hogwarts. The protective charms around it won't allow it. Hogsmeade's right next door to the school. That's out best bet."

"No, what I mean is, the way the security climate is in this country, we may draw attention to ourselves Apparating into Hogsmeade itself. It'd be best to play it safe and Apparate just outside the village."

A smile stretched across O'Bannon's face. Now this was the Rosa he knew and loved.

"Good idea. Now let's find let's find someplace where no one's around."

The four continued through the terminal. O'Bannon figured they'd have to wait until they got outside to find a secluded spot until he noticed a door to his left that read AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. It had a small glass window at head level. He peered through it and found no one in the corridor.

"C'mon. Over here." He headed over to the door.

"Um, Jimmy. You sure about this?" Artimus slowed his pace. "I mean, what about that sign?"

"Trust me, we're not gonna linger long enough to get caught."

O'Bannon tried the handle. Thankfully the door was unlocked. He opened it and ushered Rosa, Jared and a reluctant Artimus through. As O'Bannon stepped through, he glimpsed a squat man with receding dark hair in a shabby brown suit across the terminal from him. He gave O'Bannon a curious stare. O'Bannon shut the door behind him, wondering if the guy might tell airport security about this.

_Even if he does, we'll be long gone by the time they get here._

"Now?" Jared asked.

"Not yet." O'Bannon looked over his shoulder at the small window on the door, then back down the corridor. "Let's go around the corner. We can't take a chance on any Muggles seeing us." Trespassing in an airport was one thing. But to risk violating the International Statute of Secrecy? That kind of trouble O'Bannon wanted no part of.

They strode down the corridor and turned the corner.

"Ooff!" O'Bannon struck something. The world spun for a moment. He blinked and found himself staring at a pot-bellied security guard with thin white hair.

"'ear now. What are you kids doing here?"

O'Bannon's jaw silently worked up and down. Jared responded with a string of "ums."

"We, uh, took a wrong turn," Artimus stammered. "We're sorry."

"Sorry isn't going to cut it, laddie. This corridor is out of bounds to anyone not wearing the proper identification." He tugged his ID badge briefly. "And since none of you are wearing a badge like this, you're all going to have to come with me."

O'Bannon's jaw fell. This couldn't be happening. He managed to talk the stewardess out of diverting the plane when Rosa freaked out, and now they might still be arrested on the ground.

_Dammit. I should have just found a place outside._

"Larson to control," the guard spoke into his radio.

"Control here," came the crackling response.

"I've got four teenagers, Americans by the look of them, in an out of bounds area."

A pause. "Right, bring them to the holding area and let's sort it out."

O'Bannon's heart pounded. How long would they hold them? Would they be arrested?

_We didn't really do anything bad. Maybe they'll just fine us._

_Or maybe they kick us out of the country._

"Right, follow me." Larson jerked his head toward the other end of the corridor.

Fear clawed at O'Bannon's insides. He had to do something.

He checked down the corridor, then looked Larson up and down.

That's when he realized the guard wasn't armed.

"Actually, I think we're just gonna . . . RUN!!"

O'Bannon took off. Jared and Rosa hurried after him a split-second later. Larson gawked at them, shocked into inaction.

"Art! C'mon on!"

Artimus took a nervous glance at Larson, then darted past him.

"Stop!" Larson shouted. "Stop!"

He grabbed the hood of Artimus' blue sweatshirt. The young wizard yelped and twisted around, trying to break free. Larson continued to pull on the hood. He yanked the sweatshirt completely over Artimus' head.

"Art!" O'Bannon skidded to a halt and started back to his friend.

Jared dropped his backpack to the floor, unzipped it and reached inside. Seconds later he pulled out his wand.

"What are you doing?" Rosa's voice went up an octave.

"Stop squirming, dammit! Larson yanked harder on Artimus. The young wizard grabbed his stretched out hood and tried to pull away. He dragged Larson a couple steps into the middle of the corridor.

At that point the guard's back was to Jared.

"_Inflammo."_

A flicker of flames burst under the heel of Larson's left shoe. A perplexed look fell over his face. He stared down and gasped.

"Yah!" He jumped back, releasing his hold on Artimus, who stumbled backwards. Larson stomped his foot on the floor.

"C'mon!" O'Bannon hurried over to Artimus, grabbed him and dragged him down the hall.

Larson had stomped out the little fire by the time the quartet rounded the next corner. Artimus finally managed to pull his sweatshirt over his head. O'Bannon let him go.

That's when two more security guards appeared at the other end of the corridor.

"Oh, c'mon!" O'Bannon hollered in frustration.

"Hold it right there!" One of the guards ordered as he and his partner ran at them.

O'Bannon turned to an office door next to them and grabbed the handle. Locked.

"Jared!" O'Bannon positioned himself between his friend and the charging guards.

"_Patefacio!"_

The door swung open.

The guards drew closer.

O'Bannon herded everyone inside. It was a small, simple office; a desk with a computer, a couple chairs, a filing cabinet and framed photos of airplanes on the wall. O'Bannon pressed a hand on the door and pushed.

It stopped before it could fully close.

He threw his entire body onto the door. Teeth clenched, O'Bannon groaned and pushed with all his strength. He could feel two bodies on the other side of the door pushing back.

"Don't make this harder on yourselves," the strained voice of one of the guards filtered in from the outside.

O'Bannon grunted and kept pushing. His feet slid back and inch.

Artimus threw his weight against the door. Then Jared wedged himself between the two. Rosa pressed herself against her cousin's back.

They pushed, and pushed, and pushed.

The door banged closed.

O'Bannon slid his hand over the knob and pressed a small button in the center, locking the door.

The quartet backed away. O'Bannon stared at the knob. That wouldn't stop the security guards for long, especially if they had keys, which he assumed they did. They probably had ten, fifteen seconds max.

That would be all the time they needed.

"Apparate!" He turned to his friends. "Now!"

He heard a metallic clack from outside, a key being inserted into a lock.

Another sound filled the office. Four sharp cracks. Darkness enveloped O'Bannon. An invisible force pulled his body in a thousand different directions.

His body returned to normal, but the darkness remained. Well, he did see some little shards of light around. Not much, though.

He spun around. Leafless trees and clumps of sticks that would have been bushes in spring or summer surrounded him. He also noticed Jared, Rosa and Artimus around him. O'Bannon bent over, hands on his knees, and drew a deep breath.

"You okay, Jimmy?" Rosa walked over to him.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just . . ." He sighed loudly. "Man, that was close."

"Thanks for helping me back there." Artimus nodded to Jared. "Still, that was a little dangerous. I mean, you might have hurt that guy."

"Hey, I made sure to reduce that spell's power. A little hotfoot wasn't gonna hurt him."

"Point is," Rosa said, "we got out of there. And I'm guessing that little village over there is Hogsmeade."

O'Bannon peered through the darkened forest. He could see the silhouettes of several old wooden buildings clumped together. Lights burned in the windows of a building he recognized right away. The Three Broomsticks pub.

"Yup. We're here." O'Bannon couldn't help but smile. At times he worried they might never even get to England. But they got through Rosa's freakout over the Atlantic, they eluded the security guards at Glasgow, and now they were at Hogsmeade. And right next door lay their destination. Hogwarts.

_We made it. By God we made it._

O'Bannon waited for the others to pull their wands from their backpacks. "Let's go." He strode through the woods with renewed confidence.

"Where to now?" asked Rosa.

"Let's see . . ." O'Bannon checked Hogsmeade to get his bearings. "Closest secret passage would be that-a-way." He pointed to his left. "About a quarter-mile behind Gladrags clothing shop. It'll take us right into the school laundry room."

"Laundry room?" Jared slowed his gait. "Won't that mean servant elves? Crap, they'll rat us out as soon as we show our faces."

O'Bannon held up a hand. "Not servant elves, house elves. We don't have to worry about them. They're friendly, and they just don't have it in them to tell on students. Best thing, you don't have to tip them to get them to do anything. All you have to do is ask them."

Jared's eyes widened. "Wow. I like 'em already."

O'Bannon smiled and resumed his pace. A tingle of thrill went through him. After telling his friends about Hogwarts over the past several months, he couldn't wait to actually show it to them.

The corners of his mouth curled. He unfortunately wouldn't be able to show them a lot. If everything went according to plan, they would sneak into Hogwarts, find Dumbledore or McGonagall, and sneak out without anyone else knowing they were there. That meant he couldn't introduce them the Fred and George or Ginny or Lee or Angelina or Harry Potter or Michael Corner or Seamus Finnigan or any of the guys and girls who had become . . .

"HALT!!"

The voice boomed through the woods. The quartet spun in all directions, wands raised. Who the hell could be . . .

"JIMMY O'BANNON!! BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC, YOU AND YOUR COMPANIONS ARE UNDER ARREST!!"

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	5. Ambush

**CHAPTER FIVE: AMBUSH**

* * *

Jimmy O'Bannon's entire body went numb. This couldn't be happening. Not when they were so close to Hogwarts. How the hell did the Ministry find them? How the hell did they know who he was?

"DROP YOUR WANDS AND PLACE YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEADS!!" demanded the magically amplified voice.

Instead O'Bannon tightened his grip on his wand. His head whipped around. Where was that voice coming from?

He noticed Jared and Rosa had their wands extended, determined looks on both their faces. Artimus also had his wand up, rapidly sucking down anxious breaths.

O'Bannon scanned above him. He tensed when he saw a shadow dart over the trees. He lifted his wand high.

"_EXPELLIARMUS!!"_

An invisible force yanked O'Bannon's wand from his grasp. More Disarming Spells streaked through the air. Within seconds Jared, Rosa and Artimus all found their wands gone.

"DON'T MOVE!!"

A silhouette on a broom descended through the leafless trees. Another one followed seconds later. The first figure hovered inches from the ground and dismounted his broom, training his wand on the quartet. As he stepped closer, O'Bannon's eyes flared in recognition.

_What the hell?_

The squat man with receding dark hair, the one who spotted O'Bannon and his friends entering that restricted area at Glasgow International Airport, stood before him. He still had on the same shabby brown suit, but now wore a robe over it.

_He's a friggin' wizard? _

The man turned out not to be just any ordinary wizard. O'Bannon noticed the badge on his robes. The guy was an auror.

"You know," the man spoke. "There are very severe penalties for foreign wizards entering the United Kingdom illegally."

"We didn't come here illegally," O'Bannon said. "We have Muggle passports." Of course, those passports had been forged by that Guild of the Light member Roger Luzinski. No doubt this auror could cast a simple charm to prove that.

"Muggle means of identification are meaningless to the Ministry of Magic." The auror's eyes darted over them as his partner strode up beside him, his wand also covering the quartet. "You failed to alert the Ministry of your presence in this country, therefore you are in violation of the law. And considering who _you_ are," the auror targeted O'Bannon with a harsh gaze, "and where you appeared headed to, it would seem you have a _very _specific purpose for entering our country illegally."

"What the hell are you talking about?" O'Bannon tried to sound defiant, and tried to fight off the tremors of fear building inside him.

The auror smirked and took a step forward, his wand pointed at O'Bannon's chest. "The Minister of Magic was afraid of this. While we have stepped up our checks on owls and port keys and the Floo Network, there were some in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement who believed the cabal seeking to overthrow Minister Fudge may resort to Muggle ways to communicate, or to import mercenary wizards and witches from other countries to bolster their ranks."

O'Bannon blinked in disbelief. Did this jagoff really think he and his friends were foreign mercenaries?

"So they assigned me to watch Glasgow International Airport just in case," the auror continued. "I admit, I was surprised when I recognized the 'famous' Jimmy O'Bannon walking through the terminal."

"How do you even know who I am?"

The auror chuckled without a hint of humor. "Have you forgotten your minor celebrity status while you were here? That stupid _hoe-key_ game you set up last year at Hogwarts? Big story in the _Prophet _for a while, what having a Muggle game played at Hogwarts. Only someone like Dumbledore would go for that. Thankfully, I'm blessed with a very good memory, and recognized your face from your photos in the _Prophet_."

Dizziness whipped through O'Bannon's head. It took all his willpower to keep from crumpling to the ground. He never expected the general magical population of Britain to remember the Triad/Slytherin game a year later. He certainly wouldn't expect anyone outside of Hogwarts to recognize him in a busy airport terminal. He never even dreamed the Ministry would consider watching a Muggle airport for foreign wizards.

O'Bannon wanted to scream and curse. He wanted to hit or kick something. They thought they were being so clever, coming here by plane. Who would have guessed Fudge and his cronies would have the foresight to scope out Muggle airports?

O'Bannon's face contorted. His head trembled. They'd walked right into a trap.

_Maybe we can convince them about the Longathian Tunnel and You-Know-Who's reinforcements._

Given what Fred and George said of Cornelius Fudge, he doubted anyone even half-loyal to that dumbass would listen.

_We were so close. So damn close._

"Now, extend your arms," the auror demanded. "Wrists together."

O'Bannon and the others held their arms out in front of them, wrists pressed together. His eyes darted between the two aurors.

_I gotta do something!_

Plans formed in his mind, but were quickly discarded. This wasn't a TV show or a movie, and he certainly wasn't Jackie Chan or Chuck Norris. He and his friends, all wandless, faced two armed and probably rather experienced aurors. If the quartet tried anything physical, the aurors would put them all down in the blink of an eye.

_Think, dammit. Think!_

Ropes flew from the aurors' wands and wrapped tightly around the wrists of the four teens. O'Bannon noticed Artimus staring straight ahead, his face pale white. For a moment he feared the taller boy would faint.

"Now that they're secured," the auror turned to his partner. "Dawlish. Prepare them for transport back to the Ministry."

"Right."

Dawlish waved his wand, muttering incantations.

O'Bannon's insides collapsed. His throat tightened. He thought of all the people depending on him. All the people he failed. How many would die because of it?

_Maybe you should rush them. _O'Bannon knew such a plan was doomed to fail, especially with his wrists bound. But at least he'd have the satisfaction of knowing he tried to do something to escape, no matter how futile.

He wondered if he would still feel proud of such a gesture when Death Eaters and dark creatures from America flooded England.

"Security charms and Extended Side-Along Apparation Charms in place," Dawlish reported.

The lead auror nodded and stepped toward O'Bannon's left side.

"_Stupefy!"_

A red bolt struck the lead auror in the back. He gasped and fell flat on his face.

Dawlish spun around.

"_Stupefy!"_

A second Stunning Spell struck Dawlish in the stomach. His arms flew out to his sides as he fell to the ground.

"What the hell's going on?" Jared blurted.

A figure emerged from the shadows. Even with the robes, O'Bannon could tell the newcomer was female. As she came closer, he focused on her face.

_Wait a minute._ He canted his head, taking in the young woman's stringy black hair tied in a ponytail and her horn-rimmed glasses.

"Now just what do y'all think you're doing here in Britain?" the woman said in a thick southern accent.

O'Bannon's jaw fell open. "Tonks?"

She put her arms out in an exaggerated fashion. "The one and only." This time she spoke in her normal British accent.

"I don't believe it," Jared exclaimed.

"Oh sweet Merlin, thank you," Artimus said breathlessly.

"You have no idea how glad we are to see you." Rosa beamed.

Tonks swished her wand about, ridding the security charms around them and removing the ropes from their wrists. O'Bannon leaped on her and wrapped her up in a bearhug.

"I guess you're really happy to see me." Tonks chuckled and patted O'Bannon on the back.

He pulled away and studied Tonks' heart-shaped face. She had once again assumed the guise of Katerina Ponce, her alias when she came to Salem last fall to help O'Bannon during the Projection Potion incident. Even with her mousy, librarian-like appearance, she still looked hot.

"What are you doing here?" Rosa asked. "How did you even know we were here?"

"I was at the Aurors' Office when Lumwhittle," Tonks nodded to the lead auror, still lying unconscious, "sent his Patronus to alert us that you were in the country. Given how close you are to the Weasleys, and how much they support Dumbledore, the Office assumed you'd make straight for Hogwarts."

The corners of O'Bannon's mouth twisted. It seemed like the Ministry, unknowingly, had been a step or two ahead of them since before they even took off from Logan.

"Man, Jimmy." Jared slapped his shoulder. "I never realized the Brits considered you so dangerous."

"Me neither." O'Bannon shrugged.

"Actually," said Tonks. "The Ministry is suspicious of _any_ foreign wizards in the country."

"Yeah, dipstick over there," O'Bannon nodded to the still form of Auror Lumwhittle, "was going on about how we were foreign mercenaries recruited to overthrow Fudge."

"Well, in your case, such a fear is justified." Tonks' lips curled in a wry grin. "At least in the barmy minds of Minister Fudge and his ilk. But seriously, Jimmy, think about who your closest friends are in Britain. The Weasleys, who are close to Harry Potter, and he's close to Professor Dumbledore. Right now Fudge firmly believes Dumbledore is looking to take his place as Minister of Magic, so he's going to be suspicious of anyone close to Dumbledore, Harry and their inner circle."

Artimus slowly shook his head. "I just can't believe a responsible government official would act this way with You-Know-Who out there."

"Well the key word there, Art, is 'responsible.'" Rosa snorted. "And this Fudge guy seems anything but."

"Spot on, Rosa." Tonks nodded to her. "Now, I think it's time for the big question. What are four wonderful Yanks such as yourselves doing in Britain?"

"We're on a mission for the Guild of the Light." O'Bannon stepped forward. "Tonks, you've got about ten different kinds of hell coming your way." He told her about the American Death Eaters plan for the Longathian Tunnel between the U.S. and Britain.

Tonks gasped and slouched to her side. "This is unbelievable. With all those Death Eaters and creatures added to his ranks, You-Know-Who could move immediately against the Ministry. And considering how Fudge has been acting, we'd be completely unprepared to deal with such an assault."

"With the Ministry here going overboard on security," said O'Bannon, "the Guild couldn't risk sending an owl or contacting you by Floo. So they sent us here by plane to contact Headmaster Dumbledore so he could alert the rest of the Order of the . . ."

He stopped, gazing silently at Tonks. A condescending inner voice vibrated his skull.

_A-DUH!!_

"Tonks, you're in the Order of the Phoenix!"

Tonks put a hand over her chest and looked at O'Bannon in mock surprise. "Really? And here I thought all those meetings I've been going to since last summer were for the Spell of the Month Club."

"Ha-ha," O'Bannon laughed sarcastically. "What I mean is, _you_ can alert the Order."

"I was wondering how long it would take you to figure that out." Tonks shifted her weight to one side and gave him another one of her patented wry grins.

Tiny jolts of electricity raced through O'Bannon. He kept his eyes fixed on Tonks. My God, but that quirky smile made her look so hot.

"So, any more information on this Longathian Tunnel?"

Tonks' question snapped O'Bannon out of his reverie. He prayed the young woman didn't know he'd been ogling her out.

"Not really. Headmistress Esmeralda just said it's located somewhere in New England. The Guild's tracking it down on our side of the Atlantic, but if they couldn't find it in time, they wanted to make sure you guys had fair warning."

Tonks nodded thoughtfully. "Any idea when these reinforcements will be sent?"

"Two, maybe three days."

"That doesn't give us much time." Tonks chewed on her lower lip. "I'll get to Order headquarters right away. Hopefully we can find the tunnel in time, or hopefully the Guild will save us the trouble."

"Do you want us to come with you?" Rosa asked.

"Sorry." Tonks gave her a sympathetic look. "But the fewer people who know the location of our headquarters the better. Please don't take offense to that."

"None taken," said O'Bannon. "After all the lectures we've gotten from Guild members, believe me we know all about the importance of security."

"So now what?" Artimus rotated his head, taking in the little group. "We can't fly back to the States from Glasgow Airport. After what happened with the security guards there, they're probably looking for us."

"Nevermind Glasgow." Rosa turned to him. "From what Lump-dweedle or whatever said, we can't go to _any_ airport in this country. Fudge probably has agents at all of them."

"So basically, we're trapped here." Anger lines dug into Jared's face.

O'Bannon grunted and thumped a fist against his side. His mind churned, searching for another way out of England. Ferries? Surely a country like England must have boats going back and forth between here and Continental Europe. Maybe they could get on one and use an airport in France or Belgium to return home.

_Scratch that. If Fudge's gang is watching the airports, they're probably watching the ports as well._

"You know where the Weasleys live, don't you?" Tonks asked O'Bannon.

"Yeah. Outside Ottery St. Catchpole."

"Right. Make for the Burrow. I'm sure Mister and Mrs. Weasley will let you stay there until we figure out how to get you out of the country."

"You got it." O'Bannon expected to be more worried. Not only were they trapped in England, but no doubt the Ministry had aurors and other agents out looking for them. Heck, the Muggle authorities probably wanted them, too. O'Bannon doubted those guards would just forget about what they did at Glasgow International. But a sense of calm, of satisfaction, washed over him. He'd told Tonks about the Longathian Tunnel, and she'd tell the rest of the Order. The odds just doubled for the good guys to find the tunnel and stop Voldemort's reinforcements.

_Damn, we did it._ Despite all the headaches and unexpected crap hurled at them, they succeeded in their mission. With that knowledge, he could worry later about finding a way out of England.

Tonks cast a Summoning Spell to retrieve the quartet's wands. Once they had them in hand, Tonks let out an audible sigh. "Well, I wish this reunion could have lasted a bit longer, but I'd best get on with alerting the Order. It was good seeing all of you again. Take care."

Tonks smiled at them. O'Bannon swore her smile and gaze lingered on him a bit longer than the others.

_You're dreamin', man._

"It was good to see you too, Tonks." O'Bannon returned her grin. "Best of luck and be car-"

"_Protego!"_

O'Bannon snapped his head in Rosa's direction. Before he could ask why she erected a Shield Spell, a red bolt exploded in the air a few feet behind Tonks. She whirled around, wand at the ready. O'Bannon stared through the trees into the night sky.

Three shadowy figures on brooms soared above them. More colorful bolts sliced through the darkness. O'Bannon cast a Shield Spell. His arms shook as two red bolts collided with his shield.

"Behind!" Jared cried out.

Two more robed, flying figures dove toward them.

Jared and Artimus fired off Stunning Spells and Impediment Jinxes. The incoming wizards blocked them all.

"Who the hell are they?" Rosa's Stunning Spell barely missed one of the figures.

"Probably aurors." Tonks answered. "Dammit! I bet the Ministry sent them when Lumwhittle and Dawlish took too long reporting back."

Tonks shot off a couple different spells. One auror flailed wildly. He slipped from his broom and crashed through a leafless tree, getting hung up on a large branch.

"Go! Go!" Tonks erected a shield as O'Bannon and the others ran deeper into the woods. He and Rosa cast some Stunning Spells. Every one either missed or was blocked.

A chunk of the tree next to O'Bannon exploded into splinters. He threw himself on the ground and rolled on his back.

An auror weaved around the trees. He cast another Battering Spell. Artimus blocked it with a Shield Spell. The auror reared back on his broom and flew over the shield. He banked right and narrowly avoided a Stunning Spell from Jared. O'Bannon briefly wondered if this guy had played Quidditch considering the way he handled a broom.

The Battering Spell that impacted a foot from him wiped away that frivolous thought.

O'Bannon rolled out of the way of a second spell. He heard and felt a rush of wind as the auror's broom passed above him.

"_Freezium!"_

A chalky white beam shot from O'Bannon's wand. A block of ice encased the rear of the broom. The extra weight took the auror by surprise. The back of the broom scraped the ground. The auror tried to right himself, but wound up flipping head over heels. He crashed to the ground and stirred listlessly.

"This way!" Tonks rushed past them, still casting a Shield Spell.

Multi-colored bolts sizzled around the quartet as they ran after Tonks. A ditch appeared ahead of them. All five jumped into it.

The aurors converged on them, some on brooms, others on foot. Artimus and Jared erected shields while O'Bannon, Rosa and Tonks fired back. Rosa summoned a large fallen branch from the ground and used it to club an auror on the head. He crumpled to the ground.

"Tonks! Apparate out of here!" O'Bannon cast another Freezing Charm, turning the ground in front of the aurors into a sheet of ice. They easily melted it.

"I'm not leaving you lot on your own to fight aurors." Tonks deflected a Body-Bind Curse.

"Tonks!" O'Bannon grasped her upper arm. "You have to warn the Order about the Longathian Tunnel. That's all that matters. We can take care of ourselves. Now go!"

He turned back to the approaching aurors, shooting spell after spell. He wondered if they really could take care of themselves against, what now, six, seven aurors. It didn't matter. So long as Tonks got away and told the Order of the Phoenix . . .

"Jimmy!"

He turned to Jared, who nodded to his left.

Tonks was still there.

"Dammit, Tonks! Go!"

"I can't."

"I told you, we can take care of ourselves!"

"That's not what I mean. I've tried three times to Apparate back to headquarters. Something's preventing me from doing it. We're stuck here!"

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	6. Hogwarts Bound

**CHAPTER 6: HOGWARTS BOUND**

* * *

Dread gripped O'Bannon in its ice cold clutches. Spells sizzled and crackled around him as he stared at Tonks. He didn't want to believe that last statement. Tonks had to Apparate. She had to warn the Order.

"I don't get it." O'Bannon flinched as a spell burst against Jared's shield. "We're outside of Hogwarts. How come you can't Apparate?"

"The aurors probably cast a localized Anti-Apparation Field."

"You mean like they have around Salem and Hogwarts?" O'Bannon fired off Stunning Spells at a flying auror, forcing him to retreat. "I thought you needed a whole bunch of wizards to set up one of those."

"You do." Tonks pointed her wand at the ground and sent a small tidal wave of dirt at the aurors. It knocked one man off his feet. Another man stopped it with a counter-spell. "For a permanent one. A pair of aurors can set up a temporary one over a several kilometer radius."

"How temporary?" O'Bannon bit his lip, watching sweat pour down Artimus' face as spells battered his shield. "A few minutes?"

"Try a few hours."

O'Bannon slammed a fist into the leaf-covered ground. No way could they hold out that long, especially if the Ministry had more aurors on the way.

He kept shooting off spells, trying to come up with some brilliant idea to get them out of this. His Stunning Spells either missed or were blocked. Rosa and Tonks had similar luck with their attacks. Both Jared and Artimus gritted their teeth as spells exploded against their shields like a fireworks display.

O'Bannon cast everything he could. Stunning Spells, Impediment Jinxes, Body-Bind Curses, Rubber-Bone Hexes. He watched his bolts miss or get deflected. All the while he tried to come up with an escape plan. As the grain of an idea formed, he ducked to avoid a Stunning Spell. Another idea formed. Another spell impacted a couple feet from him.

"Dammit!" How the hell could he fight _and _think at the same time?

"Jimmy!"

He whipped his head toward Tonks.

"That Freezing Spell of yours. Can you make an ice wall with it?"

"Yeah, I think so. I don't know what good it'll do."

"You'll see." Tonks shot him a wry grin. "Do it."

O'Bannon paused, wondering how an ice wall would stop a squad of aurors.

_Well, Tonks is an auror. She oughta know what she's doing._

_Certainly better than you, Jimmy Boy._

O'Bannon lay on his side and crawled a couple feet to his left. He aimed his wand around Artimus' shield.

"_Freezium!"_

A white bolt radiated from his wand. He moved it back and forth. With seconds a thick ice wall seven feet high and ten feet long stood between them and the aurors. Any moment he expected a couple Redactor Curses to blow it to bits.

A thunderous crack echoed through the woods. O'Bannon turned away as the ice wall exploded.

Someone shouted an unfamiliar incantation. O'Bannon's head snapped up. Tonks had both her wand and free arm raised. O'Bannon's eyes darted toward the remains of the ice wall.

Shards of ice hung in the air.

Tonks shouted again. The shards streaked through the air like a swarm of large, white hornets. Shouts of surprise went up from the aurors. Shouts of pain quickly followed. Four aurors flailed and went down. One tumbled off his broom and hit the ground hard.

"Smoke charms!" Tonks ordered. "All of you! Now!"

Black smoke streamed from the wands of the quartet and Tonks. Absolute darkness fell over the woods. Only the cries of pain from the aurors pierced the black veil.

"This way!" Tonks held up her wand, which still produced smoke.

O'Bannon and his three friends followed.

"Where are we going?" asked Artimus.

"Secret passage to Hogwarts," Tonks answered. "And hurry. At best we bought ourselves a few minutes."

They hurried up small rises and around thickets of trees. After a minute they ceased their smoke charms. O'Bannon figured if they kept it up any longer, they'd just create a trail for the aurors to follow.

He took quick glances at their surroundings. That gnarled tree looked familiar. So did the big rock jutting from the ground that reminded him of the bow of a warship.

"Tonks. You know about the stone wall passage?"

She looked over his shoulder. "Me and my friends used it to sneak into Hogsmeade all the time to bring back firewhiskey."

O'Bannon's jaw fell open.

"What? Did you think I was a goody two-shoes when I went here?" She waggled her thin eyebrows.

Even while running, O'Bannon still had enough breath to chuckle. Tonks' coolness factor shot up ten-fold in his mind.

They reached a pile of stones about six feet high blocking the mouth of a cave. O'Bannon bent over, his lungs straining as he took deep, greedy breaths. Everyone breathed heavily, especially Artimus. As members of the Blazenrowe Hall hockey team, O'Bannon, Rosa and Jared were used to this kind of exertion. Artimus, however, had never been that big on exercise. The poor guy looked ready to keel over as he wheezed trying to refill his lungs.

"So . . . what now?" Jared inhaled more oxygen.

"Since I can't . . . Apparate." Tonks wiped her forehead and drew a deep breath. "We'll have to go with your plan. Sneak into Hogwarts and warn Professor Dumbledore."

"What, through there?" Rosa pointed to the big pile of stones. "How?"

"You'll see." Tonks raised her wand.

"Wait a minute." O'Bannon took a step toward her. "What if it won't work for people who _aren't _Hogwarts students anymore?"

Tonks snorted and stared off into the darkness for a moment. "Only one way to find out."

She approached the pile of stones and flicked her wand in elaborate patterns. A scratching, groaning sound came from the stones as they shifted around. Within seconds the pile rested quietly again, only this time it had a hole in the center. A hole shaped like the Hufflepuff Badger.

The entire pile rose off the ground. The mouth of the cave lay open before them.

"Sweet!" Jared blurted. "How did you do that?"

"Brilliant little charm on this." Tonks turned to him. "You have to reform the pile so the shape in the center takes on your House's animal. Since I was Hufflepuff, it would be a badger. Now let's go."

The five filed into the cave. They all cast Illumination Charms as the pile of stones dropped down over the entrance.

"Stand back," Tonks told them. She went about casting delayed action Constrictus Curses, Noisemaker Charms, Blurry Eye Hex Fields and Confundus Charms around the entrance.

"You never know. One of those aurors may know about this passage and check to see if we used it."

"Hopefully they won't," O'Bannon said.

"You can never be too sure. Always a good idea to be ready just in case."

O'Bannon sniggered. "Sounds like something Professor Moody would say."

"He's actually my mentor." Tonks smiled. "The real one, mind you, not the Death Eater in disguise you had."

"Yeah, I know." O'Bannon frowned and shook his head. "I still can't get over the fact that the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher I ever had was a friggin' Death Eater."

"Well, hopefully you can take what he taught you and use it against his friends one day. Nice bit of irony, that would be."

Tonks walked past O'Bannon and patted him on the shoulder. A tingle went up and down his arm and through his chest.

"Come on." Tonks waved for them to follow. "Let's get a move on."

They proceeded through the cave. Rosa bounded up next to Tonks. "That was so awesome what you did back there with the ice wall. How the heck did you do that? They never taught us anything like that in Charms or Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Most of the spells and curses they teach you in auror training aren't covered in school. At least, that's the case here in Britain."

"Merlin's beard." Rosa's face seemed to glow brighter than the tip of her wand. "If that's the case I so can't wait to start auror training."

Tonks softly chuckled. "You might think differently after your first week. The physical fitness part alone is tough enough. Never mind all the other stuff."

"I'm ready for it." Rosa squared her shoulders, her face a mask of confidence.

Tonks silently appraised her. "You know. I really think you are."

O'Bannon thought Rosa's smile would consume her entire face. She looked over to Jared, practically bouncing as she walked. She slowed her gait and allowed her cousin to catch up.

"Hear that," she whispered to Jared. "Tonks thinks I'm ready to become an auror. After what she did back there and in Ovenderburg, you know she's one kick-ass auror. She wouldn't say that if she didn't mean it. Is Tonks awesome or what?"

"Either that or she's just lying so she doesn't hurt your feelings." Jared snickered.

Rosa elbowed him in the gut.

O'Bannon stumbled a bit as the floor of the cave dipped. He caught himself just as a loud scuffling erupted behind him. He turned to find Tonks tripping and flailing her arms. Somehow, she managed to not fall on her face.

"You okay, there?"

"What? Oh yeah." Tonks straightened her robes. "You know me. Seriously clumsy."

O'Bannon chuckled softly as they continued on.

"Tell you what." Tonks scanned around her. "This is bringing back some memories. My friends and I sneaking down here with our boyfriends, passing around a bottle of firewhiskey, listening to the Weird Sisters and Devil's Snare on the Wizarding Wireless. Heh! I sure miss those days."

O'Bannon's gaze stayed on Tonks. Being around Rosa's parents and Jared's mom, he found it hard to imagine aurors being such party animals. Somehow, though, with Tonks, he could easily imagine her knocking back shots of firewhiskey while singing and dancing, and in her particular case tripping, to the latest Weird Sisters song. Were it not for the times he'd seen her in action in Ovenderburg or minutes ago in the woods, he never would have pegged her for an auror. Just a really cool woman.

"So . . ." She turned to him. "What's been happening in the wonderful world of Jimmy O'Bannon since I last saw you?"

"Nothing much." He shrugged. "Getting ready for graduation, mainly. I'm dreading the NEWKs."

"The what?"

"The National Examination on Wizarding Knowledge. Basically the U.S. version of NEWTs."

"Oh." Tonks nodded. "For a minute I thought you were talking about Muggle nuclear weapons. I was wondering what they had to do with the Wizarding World."

"Yeah." O'Bannon softly chuckled. "I heard stories of how in the Sixties and Seventies some Muggle-borns tried to get the Department of Magic to change it because they didn't think a test should be named after the most powerful weapons in the Muggle world. But the wizards and witches runnin' things back then couldn't believe Muggles could create something with the power to destroy whole cities. I wonder if anyone ever showed them pictures of Hiroshima or Nagasaki."

Several seconds of silence passed. O'Bannon turned to Tonks. "Oh. They were the Japanese cities the U.S. dropped A-bombs on in World War Two."

"I know about that. Remember, my father was a Muggle-born."

O'Bannon winced, the veins in his neck sticking out. "Oh yeah. I forgot. Sorry. So I assume you got a pretty good education on the Muggle world from your Dad?"

"You don't know the half of it." Tonks chuckled and shook her head. "Thanks to him, I developed a love for David Bowie and Genesis . . . Genesis when Peter Gabriel was their lead singer. I remember when I was nine, my mum went potty when I morphed my hair so it resembled Ziggy Stardust. I think she yelled at Dad more than me. Claimed all his Muggle music was having a negative influence on me."

O'Bannon laughed along with Tonks. For a moment, he forgot about his mission and the fight they'd just had with the aurors. He didn't think about trudging through a cave underneath Hogwarts. He was simply shooting the breeze and sharing a laugh with a really awesome woman.

And a really pretty woman to boot.

"So how's that Seeker of yours?" Tonks asked suggestively.

Tension spread through O'Bannon's shoulders. "Huh?"

"You know. The Seeker for your dorm's Quidditch team. I noticed you two quite a bit around Salem. You seemed to really fancy her."

Every jovial feeling O'Bannon had was ripped away. He lowered his head.

"Jimmy?" Tonks said. "Are you right?"

"Yeah. Fine. I mean . . . me and Rana broke up."

Tonks emitted a soft, short gasp. "Oh, Jimmy. I'm so sorry. It wasn't because of the Projection Potion, was it?"

O'Bannon nodded. A dark air of depression suffocated him. His mind propelled him back to that cold November day when a tearful Rana Rollingsworth told him she was ending their relationship.

"She talked about how the Projection Potion magnified existing feelings." O'Bannon continued to stare at the cave floor, his voice barely above a mutter. "And since this potion magnified even the smallest ounce of jealousy, I went nuts thinking Mister Salem Ladies Man Gregory Lancemore was trying to steal Rana away from me. When I lost it at the Halloween Dance and beat on Gregory, she got worried I'd always be jealous of any other guy she was around and decided she couldn't deal with that."

"Oh Jimmy."

He felt fingers encircle his wrist. He looked over at Tonks, who gave him a sympathetic smile. She squeezed his wrist, causing him to stiffen. O'Bannon fixed his gaze on her face. The more he took in her smile, the more he saw the compassion in her eyes, the more his depression stripped away.

"Oh!" Tonks whipped her head forward. "We're here."

A momentary wave of disappointment swept over O'Bannon as Tonks removed her hand from around his wrist. He pulled his thoughts together as he followed Tonks' stare. A large boulder sat in front of them. This time they didn't need any elaborate charms. With a simple flick of her wand, Tonks moved the large rock, revealing a set of rock stairs. The five climbed up about thirty feet before they came upon a small wooden door. Tonks opened it with her wand, started to crawl through . . . and bumped her head on the top of it.

"You okay?" O'Bannon whispered.

"Yeah, fine." Tonks rubbed her head and crawled the rest of the way through.

O'Bannon followed, his eyes firmly locked on Tonks' butt. What he wouldn't give for those robes to be . . .

"Is that . . . can it actually be?"

O'Bannon froze at the scratchy, high-pitched voice.

"Mistress Tonks! After all these years, Mistress Tonks has come back to Hogwarts!"

O'Bannon started to get up when he saw a small creature with a large head, bulging eyes and pointy ears launch itself at Tonks and hug her left leg.

"Oh, Mistress Tonks has come back to see Tookie and all of Tookie's friends."

Other house elves looked up from their baskets of dirty laundry. They jumped and squealed and skittered over to Tonks.

"It's good to see you too, Tookie." Tonks patted the elf on the head.

"Look. Master Jimmy is back to Hogwarts, too," another house elf cried out. "Oh, joyous day of joyous days."

"How are you, Fudrud?" O'Bannon smiled as the house elf jumped up and down in front of him.

"I don't believe it."

O'Bannon turned to find Artimus staring wide-eyed at the house elves gathering around them.

"They're . . . they're actually . . . happy."

"I told you these guys aren't like the servant elves back in the States."

"And we don't have to tip them?" Artimus appeared as though he couldn't believe such words came out of his mouth.

"Nope. These guys, you just ask them to do something and, well, they do it."

Now Rosa and Jared gave him bewildered looks. For American witches and wizards, not tipping elves was inconceivable.

"Yes, and we have something very important to ask of you lot." Tonks gently pried Tookie off her leg. "You mustn't tell _anyone_ we're at Hogwarts. It's a big secret. Ssh." She put a finger to her lips.

"Yes, yes." Tookie clasped his hands. "Anything for Mistress Tonks. Mistress Tonks was always kind to us house elves here in the laundry room, even when Mistress Tonks returned from under Hogwarts all tipsy-wipsy." Tookie swayed back and forth.

Tonks blushed. O'Bannon stifled a laugh.

"Right. We have to get going now." Tonks smiled down at the house elves. "It was wonderful seeing you again, Tookie. All of you. Remember. It's a secret we're here. Ssh."

All the elves mimicked Tonks, putting a finger up to their lips.

"Bye, guys." O'Bannon waved to the house elves as he and his friends followed Tonks out of the laundry room.

The corridors were deserted. O'Bannon checked his watch. Dinner would be coming to an end in a bit. They should be able to make it to Dumbledore's office before students started filing out of the Great Hall.

They peered around every intersection they came to. They had yet to run into a single soul, either living or ghostly . . . or feline. O'Bannon made sure to periodically scan the floor around them for any sign of Mrs. Norris, the mangy cat that belonged to Hogwarts' Caretaker and all-around a-hole Mister Filch. Wherever that cat was, its owner always lurked close by. If Filch so much as caught a glimpse of them, that fartknocker would surely tell this High Inquisitor Umbridge, and she'd certainly alert the Ministry, who'd probably rush every auror they could spare to Hogwarts.

Thankfully, they didn't come across Filch or his damn cat or anyone else.

"So this is Hogwarts." Jared gazed at the various tapestries, suits of armor and stained glass windows that lined the various corridors. "I was expecting something, I don't know, more."

"What the hell do you want?" O'Bannon turned to him as they ascended another wide staircase. "King Arthur's spirit roaming the corridors waving around Excalibur and Mickey Mouse directing an army of brooms to clean the castle."

"I don't know." Jared shrugged. "But I mean, this is, like, the most renowned wizarding school in the world. You'd think it'd be more . . . impressive."

"Well I think it's charming."

Jared gave Rosa a bewildered look.

"C'mon," Rosa said. "We're in an honest-to-goodness medieval castle. Last time I checked, there weren't a lot of castles in the United States."

Jared just shook his head. Rosa made a face at him.

They slipped past the hospital wing and rounded the corner. O'Bannon held his breath when he saw the familiar stone gargoyle striking a fearsome pose. A plain brick wall stood behind it. But O'Bannon knew better. Behind that wall was the staircase leading to Headmaster Dumbledore's office.

Relief flooded his body. He didn't even try to stop the smile spreading across his face. _We made it. We actually friggin' made it._

In just a few minutes he'd see Dumbledore and warn him about the Longathian Tunnel. The Order of the Phoenix would begin searching for it. Even if they couldn't find it in time, at least they'd be prepared for You-Know-Who's reinforcements.

"C'mon." O'Bannon strode toward the gargoyle. Shadows cast by the flames from the wall-mounted torches flickered across its deformed, stony face. A large tapestry of the stooped, sullen-looking Doolan the Downhearted hung from the wall opposite the gargoyle.

O'Bannon stopped in front of the gargoyle. He heard the others forming up behind him. He stared at the stone creature, then at the section of wall it guarded. A realization hit him.

"Crap," he hissed.

"What's wrong, Jimmy?" Artimus asked.

"We need a password to get in."

"Should we assume they've changed the password since you were last here?" Rosa asked hesitantly.

O'Bannon sighed and continued to stare at the gargoyle. After a few seconds of silence, he said, "Cockroach Cluster."

The gargoyle remained motionless.

"Aw well, it was worth a shot." Not that O'Bannon expected it to work. He seriously doubted Dumbledore would keep the same password from last year.

"So what do we do now?" A hint of panic crept into Artimus' voice.

O'Bannon shook his head. "I don't know any other way to get into his office. Maybe we should wait for him and see . . ."

"A-HA!!"

O'Bannon and his companions spun around. Three people burst out from behind the tapestry of Doolan the Downhearted. Two of them, a rotund balding man and a brutish young woman who could have been Millicent Bulstrode's sister, wore the robes of Ministry aurors. The third was a fat, toad-like woman wearing a pink cardigan. All three had wands pointed at them.

"I knew it!" the fat woman blurted in a high-pitched voice. "Professor Dumbledore is indeed sneaking foreign wizards into the country to create his own mercenary army. I can't say I'm surprised that one of his recruits would be the young man who sought to corrupt Wizarding culture by bringing a foolish Muggle game to this school."

O'Bannon narrowed his eyes. He never met this woman before, but from the descriptions in Fred and George's enchanted postcards, he had no trouble identifying her.

Jimmy O'Bannon stood face-to-face with the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts herself, Dolores Umbridge.

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	7. A Great Need

**CHAPTER 7: A GREAT NEED**

* * *

O'Bannon's eyes bore in on Umbridge. He barely registered the obese witch's wand pointing at him. The fear he should have felt at being caught and likely carted off to Azkaban could not be found anywhere within him. He only felt one emotion.

Anger. Anger bordering on rage. Every damn time he thought they were in the clear, these Ministry jagoffs popped up, always one step ahead of him. His surprise at Umbridge and the aurors waiting for them outside Dumbledore's office came and went. Tonks had told him when the Ministry realized O'Bannon returned to England, they figured he'd make straight for Hogwarts. Once inside, the aurors wouldn't need a Hermione Granger-like brain to guess where he'd go. Either to Gryffindor Tower to contact Fred and George, or to Dumbledore's office.

"Drop your wands. All of you." Umbridge smirked, a look of triumph radiating from her toad-like face.

Anger lines creased O'Bannon's face. The grip on his wand tightened. He was sick of this. Sick of aurors showing up, threatening him and his friends, bombarding them with spells and hexes. Sick of being this close to completing his mission and having one obstacle after another thrown in front of him.

Umbridge stepped closer, shaking her wand at him. "I said, drop . . . your . . . wa-"

"_Protego!"_

A shield burst from O'Bannon's wand. It slammed into Umbridge. She yelped and tumbled backwards. Her wand flew from her chubby hand as she slammed onto the floor.

"_Stupefy!" _Tonks aimed her wand at the female auror. The woman dropped to her knees as the Stunning Spell sizzled over her head.

The male auror turned to Artimus, who cast a Fire Rash Jinx. The auror easily blocked it.

O'Bannon's eyes darted back and forth, trying to decide whom he should cover with his shield, Tonks or Artimus.

_Tonks is the most experienced, she should . . ._

"_Stupefy!"_ both Tonks and the female auror shouted at roughly the same time.

Tonks' spell clipped the auror's robes.

The auror's stunner nailed Tonks in the side.

"Tonks!" O'Bannon's chest seized as he watched her spin around and collapse.

He lowered his shield and turned to the female auror.

Rosa and Jared beat him to it. Rosa cast a Body-Bind Curse, while her cousin shot off an Impediment Jinx. Both bolts struck the auror. She spun in mid-air and rolled against the wall. The left side of her body was paralyzed, while her right arm and leg spasmed uncontrollably.

The remaining auror cast a Stunning Spell. Artimus ducked under it and hollered, _"Expelliarmus!" _

The auror blocked the charm.

O'Bannon cast a Shield Spell between Artimus and the auror. The shield only got to half its normal size when the auror fired another Stunning Spell. It clipped the edge of the shield, bounced off the floor and nailed Artimus in the ankle. He yelped and fell forward. O'Bannon cringed when his friend's right knee cracked against the stone floor. Artimus howled, rolled on his side and grabbed his knee.

"Artimus!" Rosa cried out.

"Son of a . . ." Jared's face reddened with anger. He poked his wand around O'Bannon's shield and cast a Battering Spell. The auror blocked it and the next one Jared cast.

Rosa jumped around her cousin and thrust her wand forward.

"_Rubbero arm!"_

The auror's right arm deflated and hung limply at his side. His wand clattered to the floor. The auror stared in shock at his rubbery arm.

Rosa rushed over to him. With a very unfeminine grunt, she drove her foot into the auror's face. He fell to his side, moaning and clutching his face.

O'Bannon disengaged his shield and gazed around the corridor. His heart hammered in his chest.

"Tonks!" He dropped to her side. Her head lolled back and forth, eyes half-closed.

"Art!" Jared blurted as he and Rosa knelt beside him. "You okay?"

"My knee!" Artimus wailed, both hands covering his right knee. "Oh Merlin, my knee!"

"Jimmy." Rosa turned to him, a worried look on her face. "I think he's hurt bad."

O'Bannon bit his lip. His stomach clenched as he saw the agony etched in Artimus' face. He then glanced back at Tonks, who was completely out of it. Any other time, he'd take them straight to Madam Pomfrey. But if they went there, they might as well hand themselves over to the Ministry of Magic.

"Help! Help!"

All eyes turned to Dolores Umbridge, who started to sit up. "I've been attacked! Help!"

O'Bannon clenched his teeth. There had to be more aurors inside Hogwarts.

"C'mon!" He grabbed Tonks and threw her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. Rosa helped Artimus to his feet. He leaned on her as they followed O'Bannon. Jared covered their rear as they fled down the corridor.

"Help!" Umbridge screamed. "Help! They're getting away!"

"Shut up!" Jared zapped her with a Stunning Spell.

O'Bannon plodded down the corridor and spotted a nearby staircase. Already his shoulder ached. Invisible lead weights piled up in his back and down his legs. Tonks might be slender, but she was still probably 120 pounds of dead weight. His breaths became deeper and quicker as he took the stairs. Sweat drenched his forehead. He groaned with each painful step.

_Keep going. Keep going!_

Halfway up the stairs, he glanced behind him. Rosa and Artimus had just started up the staircase. Art moaned non-stop, pain flaring across his face.

"Which way did they go?" A distant male voice echoed through the corridors.

It had to be an auror.

O'Bannon struggled to reach the top. His body screamed as pain tore apart his muscles. He couldn't carry Tonks much longer.

He took another look behind him. Rosa and Artimus progressed slowly up the stairs.

Footfalls reverberated through the corridors. The aurors would be on them soon.

Should he just leave Tonks and Artimus? The mission had to take precedence. He sure as hell couldn't complete it in Azkaban.

O'Bannon cursed himself for thinking that. Teammates don't abandon one another. If they got out of this, they'd get out together.

He made it over the last step and managed to walk a few steps into the sixth floor corridor before dropping to his knees. He gently lowered Tonks to the floor and sat beside her, breathing heavily and trying to will away the pain that clawed at every inch of his body.

Rosa and Artimus eventually reached the top, Jared right behind them, watching the stairs for any signs of aurors.

"You okay?" Rosa's voice sounded strained.

"Yeah," O'Bannon said breathlessly. He glanced at Tonks' listless form. "I think . . . she needs to . . . lay off the Pumpkin Pasties."

Rosa lowered Artimus against the wall opposite O'Bannon and Tonks. Jared continued to guard the staircase.

"So what now?" Jared never took his eyes off the stairs. "No way can we outrun these aurors with Artimus hurt and Tonks out of it."

O'Bannon stared at the stone floor, still sucking down deep breaths. He closed his eyes. _Think of a plan._

Nothing came to him.

Running footfalls and an occasional shout filtered up from the floor below.

_Not much time. Think of something!_

He checked down the corridor. A plan formed. Not one that would get them out of this situation, but it might buy them a little time. Time they could use to come up with a real plan.

"Jared. Take Tonks. All of you go down the corridor and keep going. I got an idea to hold 'em off."

"We're not going to leave you, Jimmy." Rosa sounded adamant.

"I'll be fine. I'll be right behind you. Now go."

Reluctantly, Rosa helped Artimus to his feet.

Jared stared at O'Bannon, his face tightened in a mask of seriousness.

"You be careful, man." Jared slapped him on the shoulder.

O'Bannon nodded. He caught a worried look from Rosa before she turned away and helped Artimus down the corridor. Jared hefted Tonks over his shoulder and followed them. O'Bannon brought up the rear. His stomach clenched when he heard footsteps hurrying up the stairs.

They reached the intersection as two shadows bobbed along the stone walls of the stairwell. O'Bannon charged around the corridor and skidded to a halt.

"Keep going!" He shouted to the others.

Rosa practically dragged Artimus down the corridor. Jared trailed by a few steps, Tonks dangling from his shoulder.

O'Bannon backed up until he was ten feet from the intersection. He leveled his wand.

"_Freezium!"_

He waved his wand back and forth. Within seconds a thick bar of ice hung at chest level from one wall to the other. He then dropped to one knee, wand raised, and waited.

The footsteps grew louder, louder . . .

"Dixon! Wait!"

A young auror rushed around the corner . . . and smashed right into the ice bar. He flew off his feet and thudded on the floor, gasping for breath.

"Dammit, Dixon!" Another auror appeared, a tall older man with curled gray-black hair. He knelt around the corner, exposing less than a quarter of his body.

O'Bannon fired off two Stunning Spells. Both clipped the wall, showering the older auror with brick and mortar. He reached around the corner and cast a Body-Bind Curse. O'Bannon erected a shield just in time.

"_Reducto!"_

The ice bar exploded. O'Bannon saw the auror flinch and vanish behind the corner. That was exactly what he wanted. A little distraction so he could launch his _coup de gras._

A white glowing ball shot from O'Bannon's wand. He waited a couple seconds, then turned away.

A muffled thump filled the air. A brilliant white light blazed in the corridor. He heard the older auror yelp. O'Bannon hoped the guy got a good look at the Flare Charm. If so, his vision would be clogged with multi-colored spots for several minutes.

O'Bannon got to his feet and sprinted down the corridor. He slowed as he neared the next intersection and twisted around. The younger auror, Dixon, started to sit up. He saw no sign of the older auror.

O'Bannon rounded the corner. He should be able to catch up to . . .

A dark form suddenly materialized in front of him. He grunted as he ran into it. O'Bannon stumbled back a couple steps and blinked. His mouth hung open when he saw the figure standing before him.

"Jimmy O'Bannon?"

His lungs refused to work as he gaped at Professor Severus Snape.

"What are you doing here?" The Potions professor and Head of Slytherin House fixed him with a malevolent gaze.

O'Bannon continued to stare at him in shocked silence. Of all the people at Hogwarts he never wanted to see again, Snape was near the top of the list. And here he stood, appearing at the worst possible time.

"Trespassing in Hogwarts," Snape hissed. "Do you know how much trouble you are in?"

O'Bannon's mind worked furiously to come up with a lie. But he doubted the jagoff would believe anything he had to say.

_Get it together, man. The mission!_

"I have to see Headmaster Dumbledore. Take me to Dumbledore."

Snape's nostrils flared. "You are in no position to issue demands. Now come with me."

Snape reached out and grabbed O'Bannon's shoulder.

"Leggo!" O'Bannon jerked away, his wand slipping from his hand.

Fury blazed in Snape's beady eyes. "I said, _you are coming with me!"_

The Potions professor sank his pale fingers into O'Bannon's shoulder. With his other hand he reached into his robes for his wand.

A lifetime of conditioning to never act violently toward a teacher evaporated. All O'Bannon could think of was being stunned by Snape, captured by aurors, failing his mission . . . and England overrun by dark creatures.

Snape's wand came into view.

O'Bannon grabbed the professor's right arm with both hands.

"You _dare!"_ Snape growled.

O'Bannon grunted and pulled Snape's wand arm. The professor stumbled as O'Bannon spun him around. Snape's right foot came off the ground. He fought to keep his balance.

Something crackled. A red halo flashed around Snape's head. He fell, taking O'Bannon with him.

"Dammit!" someone shouted as O'Bannon crashed against the floor. The air shot out of his lungs. He heard a dull thud next to him, the sound of flesh and bone striking stone. He glimpsed Snape's head bounce up and down.

O'Bannon wheezed, trying to replenish his lungs. After the second breath, someone appeared over him.

"You think you're so clever, huh?"

It was auror named Dixon.

"Let me run into a chunk of ice, throw a professor in front of my Stunning Spell. Think you'll make me look like the biggest fool in the Auror's Office." Dixon leaned over, smirking, wand pointed at O'Bannon. "Well who's got the last laugh now, Yank?"

O'Bannon clenched his teeth. He glanced down. His legs had become tangled with Snape's. Plus he'd lost his wand.

He scowled at Dixon. What else could he do now? He prayed Rosa, Tonks, Jared and Artimus could evade the other aurors long enough to find Dumbledore or McGonagall.

"Stand up." Dixon gestured with his wand. "Hands where I can see them."

Sighing, O'Bannon slid his legs out from under Snape's. He scanned the unconscious professor. A trickle of blood leaked from Snape's head onto the floor.

O'Bannon looked at Dixon. The guy was probably about two feet away. Could he try to jump him when he got to his feet? Would he have a chance? The auror's eyes, and wand, were firmly fixed on . . .

A red bolt shot over O'Bannon and struck Dixon. The auror convulsed and fell to the floor.

O'Bannon whipped his head to the right.

Jared jogged toward him, wand still aimed at Dixon.

"Jared, what the hell?" O'Bannon pushed himself to his feet. "I told you guys to get out of here."

"Hey, someone had to check on you in case your ass needed saving . . . which it did." Jared nodded to the unconscious Dixon.

"What about Tonks?" O'Bannon straightened out his sweatshirt.

"She's starting to come around. Everyone's up on the next floor. C'mon."

O'Bannon retrieved his wand and hurried after Jared. They took the stairs two or three at a time and wound up on the seventh floor. He saw Artimus propped up against the wall under a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy teaching ballet to trolls. The right leg of his pants had been ripped up to the knee, which Rosa was examining. Tonks sat a couple feet away from them, massaging her side.

"How are you guys doing?"

Rosa turned to him. "Tonks'll be fine. But Artimus' knee looks pretty bad. I put an Anti-Swelling charm on it, but that's the best I can do. He's gonna need a healer to get this fixed."

O'Bannon gritted his teeth as he stared at Artimus, who sat against the wall, grimacing. O'Bannon thumped a fist against his side in frustration. Madam Pomfrey was just a couple floors below them, and they couldn't go to her. He hated watching one of his best friends suffer and not being able to do a thing about it.

O'Bannon looked back at the stairwell. How much longer before the aurors searched this floor? How much longer could they keep evading them with Artimus injured and Tonks not one hundred percent?

_Man, we need a place to hide until they're gone._

A groaning sound came from the wall opposite the tapestry. O'Bannon and Jared whirled around.

"What the hell?" Rosa gazed wide-eyed as a highly polished door with brass handles appeared out of nowhere.

O'Bannon gawked at it, blinking a couple times. Even after seven years in the magical world, some things still left him in awe. Like a door suddenly materializing in a regular stone wall.

He looked over at his friends. Jared, Rosa and Artimus were equally stunned by the door's appearance.

Squaring his shoulders, O'Bannon walked over to it. He grabbed one of the brass handles and pulled it open just a little. He'd better peek inside and check . . .

Urgent shouting erupted from the floor below.

O'Bannon clenched his teeth. _How many aurors did they bring here?_

Abandoning caution, he yanked the door open.

"Everyone inside! Now!"

Jared helped Tonks to her feet and hurriedly pulled her through the opening. Rosa helped Artimus to his feet and half-walked, half-dragged him toward the door.

"Wait!" Art blurted. "We don't even know what's inside."

The shouting from below grew louder.

"Art, right now any port in a storm. Move!" He waved them forward.

Artimus swallowed nervously as Rosa helped him inside.

Footsteps pounded up the stairs.

O'Bannon dashed inside and slammed the door shut. He checked the handles. Was there a lock somewhere? Would it stop the aurors from getting in?

"Um, Jimmy?" Jared stammered.

"What?" He continued to scan the door.

"I think we got a problem."

O'Bannon groaned and rolled his eyes. "What the hell now?"

He spun around. The breath caught in his throat.

Nearly thirty boys and girls stood in front of them, all with wands at the ready.

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	8. The Quartet and the DA

**CHAPTER 8: THE QUARTET AND THE D.A.**

* * *

"Jimmy Boy?"

Surprise numbed O'Bannon. That voice. Could it really be . . .

He scanned the group in front of him more closely. His eyes widened as he spied familiar figures, especially two lanky twins with blazing red hair.

"Fred? George?"

The Weasley twins looked to one another, then to O'Bannon, and beamed.

"Jimmy Boy!" Fred cried out.

"I don't believe it!" George blurted.

The two rushed forward.

"Wait!" A girl with bushy brown hair jumped in front of them.

"Hermione?" Fred fixed her with a bewildered gaze. "What the hell?"

"How do we know that really is Jimmy O'Bannon?" She whipped her head toward him.

"Oh for Merlin's sake." Fred rolled his eyes. "Quit being so paranoid."

"Considering what we're doing and what's going on outside this school, we need to be a little paranoid. And let's not forget last year, that Death Eater we all thought was Professor Moody."

O'Bannon held his breath as he watched Fred and George stare at Hermione. Both their faces screwed up in thought. Several other students behind them turned to one another with uncertain looks.

_Oh jeez. Are they actually buying this crap?_

"Hermione. It's really me." O'Bannon jabbed himself in the chest. "You want me to prove it? Hockey is awesome! The Bruins rule! The Yankees suck! There, happy?"

"Jimmy's love of American Muggle sports wasn't a secret. Besides, why are you even in Britain? You should be back in America, at Salem. And how do you even know about this room?"

O'Bannon shut his eyes tight and clenched his teeth. _You have got to be friggin' kidding me! _He expected resistance from Fudge's cronies. He didn't expect it from his friends at Hogwarts.

"Here, I got it."

O'Bannon opened his eyes when he heard Fred speak.

"If you really are Jimmy, what did I say when we decided to make Cormac McLaggen a member of our hockey team last year?"

"What?" O'Bannon canted his head. "McLaggen wasn't on the Triad. We cut his ass. Then you said that a constipated goblin would be more fun to be around than that wanker."

Huge smiles spread across the twins' faces.

"Ladies and gentlemen." George thrust out his arm toward O'Bannon. "That is most definitely, the genuine article . . ."

"The one and only," Fred added.

The twins glanced at one another, then said in unison, "Jimmy O'Bannon!"

A stampede of students overwhelmed O'Bannon. Fred and George pounded his back until all the air had been driven from his lungs. Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell wrapped him up in crushing hugs. Terry Boot rubbed his scalp energetically as Michael Corner nearly ripped off his arm with a hearty handshake.

He just released Susan Bones from a tight hug when a skinny boy with mussed black hair, glasses and a lightning bolt scar walked up to him.

"Jimmy. I can't believe it's really you." Harry Potter smiled and shook his hand.

"Hey, I can't believe I'm back here."

He broke the handshake and noticed Jared gawking at Harry. His friend's mouth hung open. Instead of words, he could only produce short, awed gasps.

For the first time, O'Bannon gazed around the spacious, torch-lit room. Wooden bookcases lined the walls and large silk cushions were spread out on the floor.

"What is this place?"

"The Room of Requirement," Harry answered.

"Brilliant place." Fred grinned.

"Yeah," said George. "It only appears to someone who really needs it."

O'Bannon slouched to the left as realization dawned on him. "Like if you really need a place to hide."

"Exactly!" The twins nodded.

"Jimmy. Is your friend here all right?"

He looked over to find Hermione striding up to Artimus, still being supported by Rosa. O'Bannon bit his lip as guilt slithered through him. He'd been so caught up in this sudden reunion he completely forgot about his injured friend.

"It's my knee," Artimus said in a strained voice. "I hurt it when we were fighting those aurors."

The jaws of several Hogwarts students dropped. Others silently mouthed, "Whoa."

"You guys were fighting aurors?" A stunned expression lit up Ernie MacMillan's face. "Why were you doing that?"

"Nevermind that." Hermione gave the stout, blond Hufflepuff boy a dismissive wave. "Lavender. Your parents are healers. You said they've taught you healing spells."

"A few." The pretty raven-haired girl shrugged. "I'll see what I can do."

Lavender Brown headed over to Artimus and Rosa.

"Here. Let me give you a hand." Anthony Goldstein, one of O'Bannon's former Triad teammates, followed Lavender. He took Artimus from Rosa and helped him over to one of the cushions. Lavender knelt beside him and examined his swollen knee.

"So, Jimmy. Are you going to introduce us to your friends?" Even though Lee Jordan had used the plural "friends," his eyes focused entirely on one friend. Rosa Infante.

O'Bannon introduced Rosa, Jared and Artimus to the "Hoggies." He was about to use Tonks' name, but decided to call her by her alias, Katerina Ponce. He didn't think it wise to broadcast her real name while she still officially worked for the Auror's Office.

"So, Jimmy," Harry said as Rosa and Hermione joined them. "What exactly are you doing at Hogwarts?"

He gazed at the group. Jared's awestruck look still hadn't faded from his face. O'Bannon leaned forward until his head was inches from Harry's ear. "Official business. Like O-O-T-P business if you know what I mean."

Judging from Harry's reaction, he knew exactly what O'Bannon meant.

"Guys!" He turned to the group. "If you could give us a minute, there's something I need to discuss with Jimmy and his friends."

Without waiting for a response, Harry led O'Bannon toward the far corner of this Room of Requirement. Jared, Rosa and Tonks/Katerina Ponce followed, as did Hermione, the twins and the other Weasley siblings, Ron and Ginny.

"Can you believe this?" Jared, who walked behind O'Bannon, clutched Rosa's arm. "That's Harry Potter. _The _Harry Potter."

Rosa stared at the famous young wizard, shaking her head slowly. "I never imagined I'd actually be in the same room as Harry Potter."

"Man, I can't believe you got to hang with Harry Potter for a whole year," Jared said in an excited, hushed tone as he slapped O'Bannon's shoulder. "People who down a whole jug of Felix Felicis could never be as lucky as you."

"What?" O'Bannon shrugged. "I never made it a secret I got to be friends with Harry. Okay, he's world famous because of what he did to You-Know-Who."

"And don't forget the Tri-Wizard Tournament." Rosa held up a finger. "I kept up with it all last year in _The All-Seeing Eye._ I was so jealous that you were here for that whole thing."

"The point is . . ." O'Bannon glanced at Harry, making sure he was out of earshot. "When you get to know him, he's just a regular guy."

Jared choked on his own breath. "'Regular guy?' Dude, regular guys do not vanquish the most evil dark wizard in history when they're one-year-old."

"Not only that." Rosa aimed an appraising eye at Harry. "He's pretty damn cute, too."

O'Bannon frowned. He couldn't think of any other way to convince Jared and Rosa a real person existed behind the celebrity that was Harry Potter.

He turned forward, and nearly bumped into Hermione.

"Sorry about what happened back there," she said. "About not thinking you were really you. It's just, well, after what happened with Peter Pettigrew and Professor Moody, you sometimes can't be too sure of who's really who around here."

"Forget about it. Besides, you're right. These days you can't be too careful."

O'Bannon looked back at the other Hogwarts students, all of whom followed him and his little group with curious stares.

"So what are you guys doing here? Study group? Party?"

"Mate," Fred responded. "You have the privilege of being in the presence of Dumbledore's Army. Or the D.A. for short."

"'Dumbledore's Army?'" Jared gave the Weasley twin a perplexed look.

"I know. I wanted to call it the Ministry of Magic are Morons Group, but no one listens to me."

O'Bannon couldn't help but smile. Rosa chuckled loud enough for all to hear.

Hermione sighed in consternation. "We formed _Dumbledore's Army . . ."_ She narrowed her eyes at Fred, who responded with a Cheshire Cat grin. " . . . in response to Umbridge's useless Defense Against the Dark Arts class. With You-Know-Who out there, we had to do something to teach ourselves practical defensive spells."

"So you doing the teaching?" While she might be the epitome of the Type A personality and annoy everyone by constantly broadcasting how much she knew of the Wizarding World, O'Bannon couldn't deny that Hermione was in a whole other universe when it came to her talents as a witch. She'd certainly be the logical choice to lead this group.

So it surprised him somewhat when she replied, "Actually, we voted Harry the leader of the D.A."

Jared gasped and turned to Rosa. "Merlin's beard, is there anything that guy _can't _do?"

O'Bannon sighed and rolled his eyes. _If they get any more excited over Harry, I'm gonna start thinking they're distant relatives of Colin Creevey._

"By the way, Jimmy Boy." George's eyes flickered between him and Tonks. "Who's this Katerina Ponce you've got here? I don't recall you mentioning her before."

"Finally stopped pining over Mireet and got yourself a girlfriend now, have you?" Fred waggled his eyebrows.

"It's me, you pillocks." Tonks took off her horn-rimmed glasses. "Tonks."

"To-!" Ginny covered her mouth before she could blurt out Tonks' full name. "What are you doing here?"

"Helping Jimmy and his friends." She put her glasses back on.

"Disguised like that?" Fred's face contorted in a quizzical look. "No offense, Tonks, but in that get up you look like the typical mousy librarian."

"Fred's right." George nodded. "You look like you could be the illegitimate daughter of Madam Pince."

The twins fell on one another in hysterics. Ron also chuckled. O'Bannon bit his cheek to hold back the burgeoning tide of laughter.

Tonks scowled at the twins, no doubt unhappy at being compared to Hogwarts' horrid head librarian. "If I didn't think your mother would hex the stuffing out of me, I'd give you both mole faces and hippopotamus arses."

"I say do it," Ginny said, "Knowing how Mum feels about these two gits she'll probably thank you for it."

"Shut your gob, runt," Fred snapped.

"Shut yours."

O'Bannon smiled and shook his head. "Times like this make me glad I'm an only child."

Once they reached the far corner, Harry turned and stared directly at O'Bannon. "So, Jimmy. What brings you back to Hogwarts?"

O'Bannon drew a breath and told Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys about the American Death Eaters plan to use a Longathian Tunnel to reinforce Voldemort's army in Britain. He noticed Ron turn pale at hearing the names of different dark creatures. Any sign of humor vanished from the twins faces. Ginny's eyes widened.

"Wendigos!" Hermione shivered when O'Bannon mentioned that monster. "I don't want to think about what a few dozen of those creatures would do if let loose in England."

"What are Wendigos?" Ron asked.

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ron. We covered them last year in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Malevolent spirits native to North America that possess people who engage in cannibalism, thus turning them into cannibals."

"Cannibals?" Ron cringed. "You mean, like, eating . . . _people?"_

"That is the definition of cannibalism."

"Anyway," O'Bannon said, having no desire to witness Ron and Hermione argue for the twelve thousandth time. "Headmistress Esmeralda sent us here to tell Headmaster Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall so they could warn the Order of the Phoenix. If we couldn't get to the Longathian Tunnel in time, we wanted to make sure you guys had fair warning."

"I'm surprised you were able to get into the country at all," Harry noted. "The Ministry's keeping a close eye on the Floo Network and port keys."

"Actually, we came by airplane."

The twins gawked at O'Bannon.

"You flew on a Muggle _airy-plin?"_ Fred exclaimed.

"You have to tell us all about it," George demanded enthusiastically, "so we can tell Dad. _Airy-plins_ are one of his favorite Muggle things."

"Fred, George. Focus." Hermione folded her arms, a stern look plastered on her face.

"That sounds like a brilliant idea," said Ginny. "The Ministry would never think to check Muggle transportation_."_

"Wanna bet." Rosa frowned. "Your Ministry had an auror undercover at Glasgow airport. Apparently they have people watching every airport in England."

Fred and George looked at one another, stunned.

"I guess ol' Fudge must have some wizards with actual brains around him," said Fred. "That imbecile certainly couldn't think of that on his own."

"So that's how they found you?" Harry looked to O'Bannon.

"Yeah. Musta figured we'd make straight for Hogwarts, because there were aurors popping up all around Hogsmeade as soon as we Disapparated there. Thankfully, Tonks showed up to pull our asses out of the fire." O'Bannon held his breath. Fear saturated his insides. "Oh crap. We had aurors chasing us all over the castle. They can't get in here, can they?"

"I doubt it," said Hermione. "If they come by here, all they'll see is a plain old wall. You should be safe here."

The tension melted from O'Bannon's muscles. _Safe._ After the last hour "safe" seemed like a foreign concept.

"We'll help however we can, Jimmy," Harry stated.

Hermione and the Weasleys nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, guys. Now, let's go tell the others."

O'Bannon turned on his heel.

"Hang on."

He stopped when he heard Harry's plea. Brow furrowed, he looked back at the famous "Boy Who Lived." "What?"

Harry chewed on his lip. "It's just . . . Jimmy, not everyone in the D.A. knows about the Order of the Phoenix, especially how close we are to it."

O'Bannon sighed. Harry had a good point. But . . .

"Okay, then. We'll just tell them about the Longathian Tunnel and that we have to tell Headmaster Dumbledore about it. That's it. Nothing about the Order or the Guild of the Light."

"I still don't know." Harry shifted his feet. "I just feel the fewer people involved the better."

O'Bannon stiffened. He aimed a puzzled gaze Harry's way. Why the hell didn't he want to share this with the rest of the D.A.?

"Harry, this is something that involves _everyone _in this country. If You-Know-Who gets those reinforcements, he's got a good shot of taking over England."

Harry said nothing. The corners of his mouth twitched as he turned away.

"Look." O'Bannon marched over to him. "You may have known most of the people in this room a hell of a lot longer than me, but they're my friends, too. And they deserve to know what's coming down the pike. And if you're not gonna tell them, _I will."_

Harry snapped his head forward. He stared directly into O'Bannon's eyes, green orbs ablaze with anger.

O'Bannon didn't back down.

"Harry . . ."

O'Bannon sensed more than saw Hermione approach.

"I think Jimmy's right."

Harry quickly shifted his gaze from O'Bannon to Hermione.

"Isn't this one of the reasons we formed the D.A.? To get ready in case we have to fight V-V-Voldemort? In a way, that's what we have here. Harry, if all those creatures from America reach Britain, no one will be safe from them, including everyone in this room, _and their families_. We have to tell them what's going on."

Harry gazed around the little knot of teens. So did O'Bannon. Ron nodded in agreement with Hermione. Fred and George, for once, wore serious expressions. O'Bannon could read it in their eyes they thought the entire D.A. should be told. Ginny and Tonks wore similar looks. Rosa and Jared, however, appeared absolutely flabbergasted for some reason.

"Fine." Harry sighed loudly and slumped his shoulders. "Let's go."

He stalked past O'Bannon and the others and headed back to the rest of the D.A.

O'Bannon shook his head as he watched him leave. He still couldn't understand why Harry was so upset at the prospect of telling his own group about this situation.

_Or maybe he feels like I stepped on his toes with that little pissing contest we just had._

_Well, too bad. _Like he said, they were his friends, too. While the Triad may not be an official team any more, the bonds they created during that time remained. If something endangered them, no one would keep him from telling them, not even one of the most famous wizards of the modern era.

O'Bannon and the others fell in line and followed Harry back to the group.

"I don't believe it," Jared said breathlessly.

"What?" O'Bannon turned to him.

"You, man. You just told Harry freakin' Potter to go pound sand."

"What, there a law against that?" O'Bannon quickened his pace to pull away from Jared.

The Weasleys, Hermione, Rosa and Jared filtered in with the rest of the D.A. Artimus also arrived under his own power, though with a noticeable limp. Lavender and Anthony trailed him, with the latter dragging a cushion.

"How's the knee, Art?" O'Bannon asked.

"It feels a lot better, thanks. Lavender did a great job with those healing spells."

"It was more to ease the pain than anything else," she explained. "He still needs to get to a proper nurse or healer."

"What you did was still great." Artimus gently lowered himself into the cushion. A grateful smile formed on his lips. "You're awesome."

"Thank you." Lavender grinned back. O'Bannon swore the girl blushed briefly.

"All yours, Jimmy," Harry muttered and stepped to the side.

O'Bannon faced the D.A. and ran down everything about the Longathian Tunnel and their battle with the aurors from Hogsmeade to within the castle itself. Many listened to his tale with wide eyes. Parvati Patil shuddered at the mention of Wendigos. "Wicked," Dean Thomas blurted when he heard about the exploding ice wall. The entire group applauded and hooted when O'Bannon told them how Jared nailed Umbridge with a Stunning Spell.

"Jared Diaz for Minister of Magic!" Fred shouted.

"I second that!" Lee Jordan added.

"Here, here!" Michael Corner pumped a fist.

Jared smiled and took a little bow as several hands slapped his back.

"So that's the skinny, gang." O'Bannon held his hands out to his side when he finished. "We gotta tell Headmaster Dumbledore about this. He's sure to know how to shut down this Longathian Tunnel."

"That won't be easy," said Ernie MacMillan, "what with all these aurors crawling around Hogwarts."

"Ernie's right." Hermione detached herself from the rest of the group. "So we'd best come up with a good plan to get around them."

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	9. Strategy Session

**CHAPTER 9: STRATEGY SESSION**

* * *

"You must be barking mad if you expect us to try and sneak past a bunch of aurors."

O'Bannon cranked an eyebrow as he regarded the tall skinny blond boy with an upturned nose. He searched his memory from his year at Hogwarts, but couldn't remember ever running into him.

"Well how else are we supposed to tell Professor Dumbledore about this Longathian Tunnel?" asked Dean Thomas.

The boy whipped his head toward the tall, dark-skinned Gryffindor. "How do we even know it's real? How do we know he's not making the whole thing up?" He jabbed a finger at O'Bannon.

"Oy!" Fred stepped forward, his narrow eyes targeting the blond boy. "Where do you get off saying that, Smith? Jimmy's always been cool with us. If he's says the American Death Eaters are shipping over a bunch of dark creatures to help You-Know-Who, I believe it."

"I'd expect you to say something like that, Weasley." Smith scowled at Fred. "You lot believe everything that comes out of Potter's mouth, so I guess you're all gullible enough to believe anything this Yank says."

"Then let's not tell Dumbledore." Ginny Weasley clenched her tiny fists as she glowered at this Smith jagoff. "We'll just let these wendigos and reptoids and dark fairies run loose all over England. Would that make you happy?"

"I'm with Fred." Lee Jordan piped up. "Jimmy's a good guy. He wouldn't lie about something like this."

"Yeah," Angelina Johnson nodded in agreement, as did Terry Boot and Alicia Spinnet.

"B-Besides . . ." Neville Longbottom spoke in a rather hesitant manner. "Isn't this why we formed the D.A.? So we could, you know, f-fight You-Know-Who?"

Smith snorted. "I'm only here because Umbridge is incompetent and this is probably the only way I can pass the Defense Against the Dark Arts portion of OWLs."

"Well you won't have to worry about OWLs if You-Know-Who gets those reinforcements from America." Hermione's bushy hair shook from the emphatic snaps of her head. "In fact, you won't worry about anything _ever again_ if one of those creatures gets hold of you."

Smith responded with a dismissive wave. "You want to talk about worry, Granger? Maybe you should worry about this." He rotated his head, taking in as many D.A. members as possible. "Your American friend admitted he and his mates assaulted a bunch of aurors. Do you understand that? _They assaulted aurors!_ The Ministry won't stop looking for them until they're caught. And what do you think will happen to anyone who harbors them? Like us. Forget detention or expulsion, we're talking a trip to Azkaban."

O'Bannon noticed Padma Patil swallow nervously. Marietta Edgecombe hung her head, squeezing her left hand with her right. The Creevey brothers exchanged uneasy looks.

Frustration pounded O'Bannon's insides. His jaw clenched so tight he thought his teeth would implode. Hermione's bit of paranoia over whether or not he was really Jimmy O'Bannon he could understand. But this? This Smith dickhead seemed to make it his mission to divide the D.A. His own team! In all his years in organized sports, there was one type of athlete O'Bannon despised more than any other. The one who willingly ripped apart a team for his own selfish reasons.

He'd be damned if he'd let it happen here with the fate of an entire country, possibly the whole Wizarding World, at stake.

"Dude, what's your name?"

"Zacharias Smith," he responded with an air of self-importance. "Hufflepuff House."

O'Bannon scanned the other Hufflepuffs. Ernie MacMillan, Hannah Abbott, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Susan Bones all shifted their gazes away from Smith, looking embarrassed at having to claim the jagoff as one of their own.

"Well, Zach. Can I give you some advice?"

"What?"

"In the words of one of my favorite pro wrestlers, Chris Jericho . . ." O'Bannon threw his head back. "'Would you please, shut . . . the hell . . . up!'"

Smith's eyes bulged from their sockets. His jaw quivered as he kept his gaze locked on O'Bannon.

"Who do you think you are to tell _me_ to shut up?" Smith shook with anger. "You think you can just sneak into _my _school and order me around like . . ."

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" Rosa blurted. _"Petrificus Totalus!"_

Smith suddenly went rigid, like a military cadet standing at attention. Moments later he toppled backwards, striking the floor with a dull thud.

Rosa glanced at the others, her wand still aimed at Smith's immobile form. "Sorry about that, but he just got on my last nerve."

"You don't have to apologize for that." Ron Weasley gave a look of approval to Rosa. "I don't think anyone here likes that little toerag."

None of the other D.A. members contradicted him.

O'Bannon gazed at Smith and shook his head. "How did someone like that get into this group?"

"What can I say?" Fred shrugged. "We had low standards when we started recruiting."

Fred and George chuckled. Hermione folded her arms and shot invisible knives from her eyes into the twins' chests. O'Bannon sensed that she had something to do with Smith's being in the D.A. and probably regretted that decision. Hermione struck him as the type of person who despised making mistakes.

"So," Harry spoke. "Can we get back to figuring out how we're going to tell Professor Dumbledore about the Longathian Tunnel?"

"Yeah." O'Bannon nodded. "It's gonna be a nightmare for me and my friends to get to the headmaster's office with all these aurors around. Hell, after our little run-in with that Umbridge hag, they probably have a whole squad of aurors camped outside Headmaster Dumbledore's office."

"Wait a minute, Jimmy." Hermione held up her hand. "_You're_ not going back out there, and neither are your friends."

O'Bannon did a double take. "Da'hell?"

"Excuse me," Jared said. "But it's gonna be kinda hard for us to tell your headmaster about the Longathian Tunnel when we're cooped up in here."

Hermione sighed loudly. "Think about it, Jared, is it? Every auror at Hogwarts is on the lookout for you. You barely escaped them the first time. Do you think you can get past them a second time?"

"Actually, I'd be surprised if any aurors are still here."

Hermione gave Ron a perplexed look. He continued. "I mean, you really think Dumbledore's going to let a bunch of aurors stomp around the school? Fudge and Toadface be damned. He'd find a way to send them all packing."

O'Bannon bobbed his head back and forth. "Actually, Ron's got a good point."

Shock exploded across Ron's face. O'Bannon figured the youngest Weasley boy didn't hear a compliment like that too often.

He continued. "Okay, I was only here a year, but I got the sense that Headmaster Dumbledore was in firm control of this place. And he doesn't seem afraid one bit to tell Fudge or anyone else from the Ministry to go piss up a rope."

"Yeah!" George nodded emphatically. "He's found ways around all the other rubbish the Ministry's pulled. I bet by now he's done something to make Hogwarts auror free."

"I wished he'd find a way to make Hogwarts Umbridge free," grumbled Angelina Johnson.

"I don't think we can take that chance," Hermione said. "We have to work on the assumption the aurors are still here. I'm sorry, Jimmy. You and your friends have to stay here for the time being."

O'Bannon opened his mouth to protest.

"Jimmy."

He stiffened when a hand grasped his arm. Tonks' hand. He looked down at the fingers wrapped around his bicep, then up to the heart-shaped face of the disguised auror.

"Hermione's right. We'd never get to Dumbledore's office. Or McGonagall's for that matter."

"Well I don't see the problem." Lee Jordan looked around at the D.A. "One of us can deliver the message to Dumbledore."

"There _is_ a problem with that, Lee," Hermione noted. "If the aurors are looking for Jimmy, they're going to be suspicious of anyone who was friends with him. Especially anyone from the Triad hockey team."

"Then how about we use someone who wasn't on Jimmy's team?" Rosa eyed Harry, Ron and Hermione. "I don't recall you three being on it."

Harry shook his head. "Forget me. As far as Umbridge is concerned, I'm the school's number one troublemaker. If I get caught wandering the corridors, she'll figure I'm up to something."

"She probably already thinks you're plotting to overthrow the Ministry in Dumbledore's name," Ron scoffed.

"Ron and I are out as well." Hermione looked from the redhead to Harry. "Guilty by association."

"Okay," O'Bannon groaned. "So who does that leave us with?"

He scanned the rest of the D.A. Who hadn't he been that close with? More importantly, who hadn't he been close with who he could trust to get past the aurors with raising any suspicion and deliver his message to Dumbledore or McGonagall?

Neville Longbottom? No way. The guy would forget his ass if it wasn't attached to him. He also crossed Marietta Edgecombe off the list. She never forgave him for cutting her from the Triad. But then, she wanted on the team more to look cool than to beat Slytherin.

Who else? The "giggle twins," Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil? He'd never considered either of them particularly bright.

_What about Parvati's sister? _Padma was a Ravenclaw. She had to have a good head on her shoulders. O'Bannon also noticed the very hot Cho Chang. She could be another possibility. He probably hadn't said more than ten words total to either girl during his year at Hogwarts. He doubted anyone would associate those two with him.

O'Bannon turned to Harry, ready to give his suggestion. He held his tongue when he saw him staring intently at something. Furrowing his brow, O'Bannon followed Harry's gaze to a girl with long dirty blond hair, protuberant eyes and large radish-shaped earrings.

Neck muscles clenched, he sidled over to Harry and whispered, "Dude. You're not serious about using her?"

"Yes I am." Harry nodded.

O'Bannon's entire body sagged. He closed his eyes and sighed. Had things become so desperate they had to resort to her?

**XXXXX**

Luna Lovegood skipped down the steps to the sixth floor, trying to hum a happy tune. However, she found it hard to be happy when she thought of all the creatures Jimmy O'Bannon mentioned. The reptoids concerned her the most. Like dragons, they were greatly misunderstood.

Luna stopped at the bottom of the steps and cocked her head. She reconsidered the word "misunderstood." Feared would be more accurate. She remembered the story Daddy ran in _The Quibbler_ a couple years ago on how the reptoids had a thriving civilization throughout North and South America thousands of years ago, only to have it fall victim to some mysterious cataclysm. Now wizards and witches throughout those continents did everything in their power to restrict their territory and keep them at the most primitive stage of development so their once-great civilization could not rise again and challenge humanity.

_Perhaps that's why they sided with Lord Voldemort. Maybe he promised them an empire of their own._

Luna shook her head as she continued down the torch-lit corridor. The poor reptoids. She had a feeling Voldemort would betray them and enslave them like he wanted to do with the rest of the Wizarding World. Perhaps when she told Professor McGonagall about the Longathian Tunnel, she would ask her to find a way to help the reptoids. Luna sighed, wondering if it would be a lost cause. Professor McGonagall was not the most open-minded person at Hogwarts. Luna would probably have a better chance of convincing Dumbledore. But the D.A. deemed going to his office too risky. No doubt aurors had it well guarded after Jimmy O'Bannon and his friends tried to enter it.

A warm smile spread across her face. It was so nice seeing Jimmy O'Bannon again. Even though he always acted awkward around her, he possessed a kind soul and never hesitated to help her. He'd proven that when he gave her all those pucks to help keep wrackspurts away.

Speaking of which, she had to remind him . . .

"You there! Stop!"

Luna halted and slowly twirled, still smiling. Two men, one balding and heavy-set, the other lean with wavy brown hair, strode toward her, wands drawn.

"What are you doing here?" demanded the heavy-set man.

"I was walking," Luna responded serenely.

The large man grunted. "I can see that. Aren't you aware all students have been confined to their houses?"

"Really? What for?"

"There are dangerous criminals on the loose here. Americans . . ."

"Why would Americans be at Hogwarts?"

The auror's face tightened. He probably didn't appreciate being interrupted. "They're foreign mercenaries trying to contact Dumbledore. Their leader's a young man named James Michael O'Bannon. He attended Hogwarts last year as an exchange student." The man hardened his gaze at Luna. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about him, would you?"

"Actually, I do."

"Oh really?" The heavy-set man's eyes widened. "Such as?"

"Well, he formed a hockey team here that beat Slytherin House."

"Everyone knows that," the young auror said. "What we mean is have you seen him recently?"

"No." Luna felt her insides go all twisty. She didn't like lying, but considering what was at stake she really had no choice.

"Then why are you roaming the corridors while the other students are back at their houses?" The heavy-set auror drew a deep breath, his narrow eyes locked on her.

"Well, I wanted to make sure the wulkimbles are all right."

The auror blinked. "Th-The what?"

"The wulkimbles. There are a few that live in the castle. They're very timid and delicate creatures. And well, with all you aurors stomping around, they could be in danger. I wanted to make sure no harm came to them."

"There are no such creatures as wulkimbles."

"Yes there are. My father has written extensively about them in _The Quibbler."_

"_The Quibbler?" _blurted the young auror. "Wait a tic. Is your father Xenophilius Lovegood?"

"Why yes."

"Who's that?" The heavy-set auror turned to his partner. "What's _The Quibbler?"_

The young auror chuckled softly. "It's a load of rubbish is what it is. A magazine that goes on about made up creatures and daft conspiracies, like Minister Fudge killing goblins by baking them in pies."

"Sedition!" The heavy-set auror whipped his head toward Luna. His face wrinkled with disgust.

"Sedition? Oh please." The young auror laughed harder. "It's all nonsense. My cousin loves the stupid thing, though. Of course, she's just as barmy as this girl's father."

"My father is not barmy." Luna straightened her back and lifted her chin proudly. "He exposes all the truths the Ministry wants kept quiet."

"Sure he does." The young auror turned to his partner. "Somehow I can't see this girl knowing anything about O'Bannon. She looks cut from the same cloth as her father."

The heavy-set auror stared at Luna thoughtfully for a few seconds. "You're probably right. Get back to your house." He ordered Luna before turning back to his partner. "Come on. We still have a lot of rooms to search."

The aurors barely gave Luna a second glance as they strutted past her and down the corridor. She waited until they disappeared from sight before continuing on.

She soon ran into another pair of aurors. Again she explained her concern over the wulkimbles, which really wasn't a lie. They were very fragile creatures. All this activity by the aurors could drive them away from their nests. Then there'd be no one to care for their young.

Not that these two aurors believed her. In fact, they appeared rather annoyed with her and told her to go back to Ravenclaw Tower before going on their way.

Luna, instead, descended the stairs until she reached the floor for the Transfiguration classroom, and McGonagall's office. She hadn't run into any more aurors, thankfully. Such rude and narrow-minded people. At least the ones patrolling Hogwarts. Perhaps she could suggest an article to Daddy on how the Ministry should train aurors to develop better social skills.

She spied a moving portrait of a group of stuffy-looking white-haired wizards sitting in a study reading books or playing Wizard's Chess. Luna smiled. Just around the corner lay Professor McGonagall's office. She started forming the arguments she wanted to make on aiding the reptoids should they . . .

"Miss Lovegood! Stop!"

She halted. A small frown creased her lips. She immediately recognized the voice.

She turned to find Professor Umbridge stomping down the corridor toward her. Two students flanked her, a tall blond boy with a pinched face and a short dark-haired girl with a compact face.

"What are you doing wandering the corridors?" Umbridge put her hands on her hips. "All students are supposed to be in their dormitories. Five points from Ravenclaw."

"I'm sorry, Professor. I just needed to see Professor McGonagall."

"Oh really?" Umbridge leaned closer to Luna. "Now why would a Ravenclaw student wish to see the head of Gryffindor House?"

"Well, with all the sudden activity going on here, I was worried about the wulkimbles. I wanted to see if Professor McGonagall would help me transfigure some parts of the corridors into safe habitats so they wouldn't be disturbed while nesting." Luna had meant it as a lie, but now that she thought about it, it did sound like a good idea.

Umbridge's face tightened. "Miss Lovegood. You know I do not tolerate your lies in my classroom. I will certainly not tolerate them during a crisis. Five points from Ravenclaw."

"What sort of crisis? Will it affect the wulkimbles?"

"Idiot girl! There are foreign mercenaries loose in this school led by Jimmy O'Bannon. He was here last year as an exchange student from America. You wouldn't happen to know him, would you?"

Luna's lips parted. Before she could deny it, a superior-sounding voice cut her off.

"She does know him, Professor." Draco Malfoy sharply nodded toward her. "She was O'Bannon's little girlfriend."

"Really?" Umbridge folded her arms. Her gaze hardened. "Well now, Miss Lovegood. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm afraid Draco's mistaken. I never had a romantic relationship with Jimmy O'Bannon. See, our auras just aren't . . ."

"Oh, she's lying," Pansy Parkinson hissed. "That Mudblood was always coming to her rescue like some knight in shining armor. Don't tell me there was nothing between you two."

"Well, nothing romantic. And there were just a handful of times Jimmy helped me, like giving me pucks to drive away wrackspurts, or when you two," her eyes flickered from Draco to Pansy, "took my books and dropped them on my head."

Umbridge took slow, deliberate breaths as she hardened her gaze at Luna. "So you have not seen Jimmy O'Bannon at all within the last hour?"

"No." Luna shook her head.

"What about the other prefects?" Draco insisted. "It's rather peculiar, I think. When Professor Umbridge called the prefects to help search for O'Bannon, we were the only Fifth Year ones to show up. No sign of MacMillan and Abbott from Hufflepuff, or Goldstein and Patil from Ravenclaw, or Weasel and that Mudblood Granger from Gryffindor. You wouldn't happen to know where they got to, would you?"

"Why would I? Prefects are the most responsible students at Hogwarts. They certainly don't need me to keep an eye on them."

"Argh!" Pansy scowled. "This little idiot's useless. She couldn't find lint in her bloody pockets, much less the other Fifth Year prefects."

"Oh. Are you done with me? Can I see Professor McGonagall now?"

Luna started to turn.

"No, Miss Lovegood. You cannot see Professor McGonagall."

"But the wulkimbles. I'm so worried about them. I have to see her and tell her . . ."

"I'm afraid you don't understand." Umbridge glared at her. "It is impossible for you, or anyone else, to see Professor McGonagall."

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_The references Luna made regarding Jimmy O'Bannon helping her with Malfoy are chronicled in my fanfic "The Luna Effect."_


	10. Team Bonding

**CHAPTER 10: TEAM BONDING**

* * *

Artimus grimaced as he rubbed his knee. The healing spell Lavender Brown had cast began to wear off. White hot bolts of pain stabbed his knee. He shifted on the cushion and closed his eyes.

_I wish I could see a healer. I wish this pain would stop._

"Hey, buddy."

Artimus opened his eyes to find Jared kneeling beside him.

"How's the knee feel?" Jared slapped him on the shoulder.

"It's . . . doing okay." He clenched his teeth, hoping Jared believed his lie. His knee hurt like hell. But he couldn't let on to his friend. Hell, Jared played hockey for Blazenrowe Hall, as did Jimmy and Rosa. They got banged up all the time, but never let on how much they hurt. How often had he dreamed of being just as tough as them? Tough enough to deal with a swollen knee without wanting to burst into tears. Tough enough to jump into a fight without a second thought.

Tough enough to stand up to his father.

"I still can't believe this happened." Artimus scowled and gingerly rubbed his knee. His neck muscles clenched as another jolt of pain ripped through him.

"Hey," Jared shrugged. "This could have happened to anyone."

Artimus groaned in response. He wondered if Jared just said that to make him feel better.

"C'mon, look on the bright side." Jared gave him a sly grin. "You got that sexy little Gryffindor chick looking after you."

Artimus managed a smile. True, Lavender was very beautiful. Right up there with Cecelia Malfoy.

He sighed softly and let his eyes drop. A familiar pain wrapped around his heart. He still missed her. Cecelia, cast out by the other Malfoys because her father dared to marry a Muggle-born, used as an unsuspecting pawn to spread the Projection Potion throughout the Salem Witches Institute.

The girl he'd fallen in love with. More importantly, she had loved him back.

But she was gone now. Taken into protective custody by the Order of the Phoenix. _Is she even in this country?_

"You know," Jared continued, snapping Artimus out of his reverie. "I never realized Hogwarts was loaded with so many hot girls."

"Well, Jimmy showed us pictures of some of them."

"Pictures alone don't do these girls justice. Besides, the way Jimmy kept going on about Mireet Miradeaux, you'd think she was the only babe at this school. Just look around, man."

Jared swept his hand across the Room of Requirement. Artimus followed his friend's movement, taking in the little knots of students chatting as they waited for that weird Luna girl to come back.

"I mean, Angelina Johnson looks like she could pin you to a wall and have her way with you. Not that I'd complain. And what about that Cho Chang? Holy friggin' crap, do you want me to tell you what goes through my mind every time I look at her? That Ginny Weasley's a little hottie, too. Heck, even that brainy chick, Granger, ain't half-bad."

"I'm sure Michelle would love to hear you talk like this." Artimus referred to Jared's girlfriend back at Salem, Michelle Bunker.

"I didn't say I was gonna try to do anything with these Hogwarts babes. What's that Muggle phrase Jimmy uses? Oh yeah. The candy store philosophy. You can look, but you can't touch."

Artimus chuckled, until his knee burned with pain.

"So how's our patient doing?"

Artimus swallowed at the soft feminine voice. His heartbeat picked up as Lavender Brown approached.

"Oh, um, it's . . ." He wanted to lie and say it was fine. He sure as hell didn't want to look like a wimp in front of this girl. But if he said his knee was fine, would she leave? Even though their few minutes together had been to treat his injured knee, he did like Lavender's company. He vaguely remembered Jimmy mentioning her as being a bit of a snob. But she had been nice to him while casting those healing spells. Outside of Rosa Infante and Cecelia Malfoy, pretty girls barely acknowledged his existence.

And Lavender Brown, with her raven hair, clear skin and classic features, was very, _very _pretty.

Artimus chewed on his lip, still trying to figure out a response.

Jared beat him to it. "You know, I think my friend may need to have his knee looked at again. He told me it's still bothering him."

Artimus whipped his head toward Jared, eyes wide with shock. How could he say that? Would Lavender think him a cry baby?

Jared winked at him and rose to his feet. "I'll just leave you two be. Healer/Patient privilege, you know."

With a parting grin, Jared strode off.

Artimus noticed Lavender watch him leave. His heart sunk. Of course Lavender would be eying Jared instead of him.

"So . . ." Lavender looked away from Jared and focused on him. "Let's take a look."

She knelt beside him. While Lavender studied his knee, Artimus gazed at her face. Merlin's beard, she was beautiful. Okay, she did wear quite a bit of make-up, but he felt she would be just as beautiful without it.

_Say something to her._

He bit down on his lower lip, thinking . . . and thinking. His mind kept drawing blanks.

"How's that? Better?" She looked at him when she finished casting her spells.

"Yeah, it is. Thanks." Artimus smiled, relieved not to feel shooting pain any more.

Suddenly he found his opening.

"You're going to make a great healer one day."

"I doubt it." Lavender frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

Lavender sighed and sat with her legs tucked under her. "I really don't have a burning desire to be a healer."

"But you're really good at it."

"I just know some basic spells thanks to my parents. They're both healers."

"And they want you to follow in their footsteps?"

Lavender nodded.

Artimus' shoulders sagged. "I know that feeling."

"What do your parents want you to do?"

"It's my father more than anyone. My real mother died when I was four."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Lavender reached out and placed her hand on top of Artimus'. His hand stiffened for a moment, then relaxed.

"Thanks. I actually have a step-mother, my third one now. Not that she really has much interest in me. Anyway, my father owns a chain of magical supply shops throughout North America. Actually, our family's owned it for about two hundred-fifty years."

"And he wants you to continue the family tradition, I gather?."

Artimus groaned. "I don't have the head for business like Dad does. More importantly, I don't have the interest. And then there are all his business friends. Stuck up, old money idiots who look down their noses at anyone who doesn't have at least three bank vaults filled with gold pieces . . . or anyone who happens to be Muggle-born."

Lavender crinkled her face in annoyance. Even that couldn't detract from her beauty. "What a load of rubbish. I know plenty of Muggle-borns who are just as talented as any pureblood."

"Same here. Not that my father would believe that."

"Here's an idea. Don't work for him."

"It's not that easy." Artimus' face sagged.

"Why?"

"My brother Hector struck out on his own. He went to work for the Department of Magic. Dad was furious. Said a civil servant job was beneath the dignity of the Rand family. He told Hector to quit and come work for him. Hector answered by slamming the door on his way out of the house. They've barely spoken since."

"And you're worried the same will happen to you?"

Artimus nodded. "That and . . . well, let's say I do decide to work outside my father's business. What if I fail at whatever I'm doing? Do I go crawling back to him? Will he even help me out?"

"Then don't fail."

"But what if I do?"

"Look, Artimus." Lavender scooted closer. His chest tightened as he caught her flowery scented perfume. "Do you know what I want to do when I graduate from Hogwarts?"

"What?"

"Me and my friend, Parvati Patil, want to be models for _Witches Fashion Monthly."_

"Really?" Artimus knew she'd be a natural for something like that given her looks.

"Uh-huh. You wouldn't believe how many rows I've gotten into with my parents. 'You're doing nothing to help wizarding society,' they say. Or my dad saying, 'I won't have my daughter treated like a piece of meat.'"

"So what do you say to them?"

"I say when I turn seventeen, it's my life and I'll do what I want. And I'm going to be successful at it, just to show them I can. Well, that's not the only reason. I mean, for me and Parvati, this is something we really want to do. It seems like such fun. And what's wrong with having a job that's fun?"

Artimus canted his head, gazing at Lavender. Admiring her beauty took a backseat to her words. Something clicked in his head. He couldn't understand why it happened now. Hadn't Jimmy, Jared and Rosa been telling him the same thing for years?

_But they aren't coming from our perspective._ His three friends all had parents who never pressured them into choosing a career. Even Rosa's parents. Yes they were aurors, and that's what she wanted to be. But they never forced her into it. Rosa's choice to be an auror was hers and hers alone.

He and Lavender didn't have that luxury when it came to their families.

"I don't even know what I want to do after graduation." Artimus sank deeper into the cushion.

"I'm sure you'll find something you like." Lavender gave him a sympathetic smile. "Or at the very least, you can find a job that will hack off your father."

Artimus cranked an eyebrow. He guessed "hacked off" to be the British equivalent of "pissed off." He even had an idea what sort of job would really "hack off" his father.

Now if only he could find the guts to follow through.

**XXXXX**

"So Jimmy's still going on about Mireet. Can't say I'm surprised, the way he carried the torch for her."

Rosa nodded at Angelina Johnson's statement. "So was there more to why they never got together?"

The athletic-looking girl with long light brown hair next to Angelina shook her head. "No. It sounds like Jimmy pretty told you everything." Katie Bell frowned slightly as she continued. "Mireet broke up with her old boyfriend shortly before she arrived at Hogwarts. Tore her heart to pieces. Since Jimmy was going to go back to America at the end of term, she said she didn't want to risk another heartbreak."

"What rubbish." Angelina scowled. "Mireet told us she had feelings for Jimmy. Me and Katie and Ginny kept telling her to act on it, to make the most of the few months they'd have here. I can't believe she never did. Mireet's a smart girl, unlike that Fleur Delacour."

Rosa's brow furrowed. It took a few seconds for the name to register. "Fleur Delacour? Wasn't she the Beauxbatons champion for the Tri-Wizard Tournament?"

"That's right," Katie answered. "I thought she was a twit. Snooty, too. Mireet would have made a much better champion for Beauxbatons."

"Mm-hmm." Rosa gave both Angelina and Katie thoughtful looks. "So, what more can you tell me about Mireet Miradeaux?" As much as Jimmy liked to talk about the French witch, his descriptions of her were limited to hot, smart, hot, athletic, hot, nice, hot, graceful and really hot. Rosa figured Angelina and Katie could provide her with way more detail.

"Well," Angelina began. "Let's see. I know she -"

"Oy! Are you girls exchanging embarrassing information about my good mate, Jimmy?"

One of the Weasley twins leaped into view, dropping one hand on Angelina's shoulder and the other on Katie's.

"Bugger off, you git!" Angelina drove an elbow in the tall redhead's stomach. He simply laughed it off.

"So which one are you?" Rosa asked.

"Fred Weasley at your service."

"Oh quit lying." Angelina shot him a scathing look before turning to Rosa. "He's George. You can tell by the dimples on his cheeks. And that fact he's a bigger arse than his brother."

"You wound me, Angel." George gave her a mock frown.

"What are you doing here?" asked Katie. "I mean, besides making a nuisance of yourself."

"Ha-ha, Bell. If you must know, I wanted to come by and tell Jimmy's friend here how impressed I was with that Body-Bind Curse she threw at that prat Smith."

George waggled his eyebrows at Rosa. She kept her eyes locked on that face, a face with the brightest smile she'd ever seen. She felt a brief hitch in her breathing before she spoke. "Thanks. I mean, I don't normally go around hexing people willy-nilly, but he just irritated the hell out of me."

"He irritates the hell out of everyone. Besides, the way Jimmy talked about you, hitting an idiot like Zacharias Smith with a Body-Bind Curse is something you could do in your sleep."

Rosa couldn't help but smile. "Thanks. So what exactly did Jimmy say about me when he was here?"

"Well, I think we'll just leave you two be," said Angelina. "Come on, Katie."

The two girls walked away. Angelina suddenly stopped and turned to Rosa. "Oh, if I were you, I wouldn't accept anything from this git. Especially candy. I wouldn't want to see you vomiting or fainting or having a river of blood come out your nose."

George straightened, pretending to look appalled. "How dare you besmirch my good name?"

"Oh, get stuffed." Katie gave him a dismissive wave before following Angelina off.

Rosa looked back at George. "Ex-girlfriends of yours?"

"No, just annoying, abusive, unappreciative classmates . . . who I happen to love like sisters." He said it all with a huge grin.

Rosa softly chuckled. "Well, I can see Jimmy was right about you."

"What, that I'm dashing and handsome?"

"I mean," she snickered as she spoke, "the way you're always joking around."

"Life's not worth living if you can't laugh. That's our philosophy. Me and Fred, I mean."

"Well, it's a philosophy that's rubbed off on Jimmy. He rarely pulled practical jokes until he got back from Hogwarts. Now he seems to average one a week." She told him about Jimmy enchanting the bust of Kensington Kadermass to insult that idiot Merak Mather.

George threw back his head and laughed. "It looks like we thoroughly corrupted him. Stick around a little longer and I may do the same to you."

"Too late. I'm already corrupted." Rosa gave him a wry grin.

Again, George laughed heartily. She liked his laugh, unfiltered hilarity with a child-like quality.

"Jimmy was right," he said. "You are cool."

Rosa drew a staggered breath. Her heart beat quicker. She focused on George's face, studying his long, smooth features framed so nicely by his shoulder-length blazing red hair.

"So what else did Jimmy tell you about me?"

"Well, he went on about how you want to be an auror, how you were a good hockey player, how you could kick anyone's arse, man or woman."

"Oh. That's nice." Rosa feigned approval. Inwardly she wanted to strangle Jimmy. _Merlin forbid you should talk about my personality or how I look. No. Talk about what a brute I am, instead._

"So, what made you want to become an auror?"

"I come from a family of aurors. My parents, my aunt, both my grandfathers, a couple cousins. I grew up listening to stories about them battling dark wizards and dangerous creatures. It sounded really exciting. After a while I couldn't picture myself doing anything other than becoming an auror." She sighed, her voice taking on a somber tone. "I picked a perfect time to do it, didn't I? It looks like we're on the verge of another war."

"'On the verge?' I'd say we're already in a war."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Especially when You-Know-Who is trying to add all those American Death Eaters and dark creatures to his army. Merlin, I hope that Luna girl finds McGonagall. I mean, if we don't stop this . . ." Rosa cast her eyes to the floor. A horrible vision formed in her mind of wendigos invading the school, chasing down Jimmy's friends, ripping them to shreds and feasting on their flesh.

Her stomach clenched when she pictured George Weasley as one of those victims.

"Don't worry. Luna will come through."

The cheeriness in George's voice surprised Rosa. She began to wonder if he took anything seriously.

"And if she doesn't," he continued, "we'll just fight all of You-Know-Who's reinforcements. Just be sure to stick close to me."

Rosa's thin eyebrows scrunched together. "Why? So you can protect the poor, defenseless girl?"

"Protect _you?_ I want you to protect _me!"_

All her worry vanished, swept away by a torrent of laughter. Rosa doubled over, her body shaking as she howled. When she looked up, George was laughing along with her. He fixed her with a big smile. Merlin, he had a beautiful smile. Everything was beautiful about him. His red hair, that mischievous yet friendly gleam in his eye. They only knew one another by reputation, but George treated her like he'd known her for years.

Rosa stared into his eyes again. That's when she noticed it, and it sent tingles through her body.

George was checking her out!

She swallowed. Dread coiled around her insides. She glanced down at herself, at the plain blue sweatshirt and jeans covered with dirt from the battle with the aurors and the trek through the cave. Not only did all that activity make her dirty, it also made her sweat. A lot. The realization made her cringe. She didn't want to think about how bad she smelled. And her hair! Oh Merlin, it must look awful. More than anything Rosa wished she could run to a bathroom, shower, redo her make-up and fix her hair until it looked absolutely perfect.

"You know," George said. "There's something else Jimmy never mentioned about you."

"What's that?" She imagined him saying, _"You look and smell like a vagabond."_

Instead he said, "The stupid git never told me just how fit you are."

"Oh. Well, I do play hockey. You gotta be in shape for that. And since I'm going to be an auror, you have to be in top physical condition."

George chuckled. "That's not exactly what I meant."

"Huh?" Rosa canted her head. Suddenly something clicked. She remembered some of the differences Jimmy told her between American English and British English, or as he called it, "Brit Speak." Here they called sneakers trainers, an apartment was a flat, bathrooms were loos, and being fit meant . . .

Rosa held her breath. She stared at George, taking in his gorgeous smile. A smile aimed right at her.

She grinned and felt herself blush.

**XXXXX**

"I'm telling you, Jimmy," Michael Corner spoke with uncharacteristic vibrancy. "With Harry and the Weasley twins kicked off Gryffindor's team, and Ron playing Keeper, that Quidditch Cup is going to be ours."

O'Bannon smiled in response. However, his grin couldn't match those of Michael or his two buds, Anthony Goldstein and Terry Boot. He tried to be happy for them that Ravenclaw had a chance to take the Quidditch Cup. But anger kept bubbling within him. He clenched his teeth, trying to listen to Michael while thinking about Umbridge banning Harry, Fred and George from playing Quidditch ever again. It just piled on all the other crap his former Triad teammates had told him about that tinhorn bitch. She was trying to get Hagrid sacked because she didn't like people of mixed heritage. Okay, the half-giant may not be the greatest teacher in the world, and at times O'Bannon had feared for his limbs, if not his life, in Care of Magical Creatures class. But he always considered Hagrid a nice guy.

Then there were all the stupid Educational Decrees forbidding any points of view contrary to official Ministry policy. O'Bannon so wanted to get a copy of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, or its British equivalent, and attach it to Umbridge's ugly mug with a Permanent Sticking Charm. Maybe then the whole freedom of speech thing would sink in.

Unfortunately, he couldn't do a damn thing to help his British friends with Toadface. All he could do was try to get word to the Order of the Phoenix about the Longathian Tunnel, which had become more difficult than any of the tasks at the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

Michael went on about how he hoped Ginny wouldn't be a sore loser when Ravenclaw beat Gryffindor for the Quidditch Cup when O'Bannon noticed Tonks out the corner of his eye. The young auror plopped into a cushion near one of the bookcases.

"Hey, can you guys excuse me for a sec?"

O'Bannon started walking away before the three Ravenclaws nodded. He took a glance at Michael, then gazed around the room until he spotted Ginny.

_Michael Corner and Ginny Weasley._ He shook his head. Talk about an unlikely couple. Oh sure, they had become friendly when they were both on the Triad, but those two together? That seemed as unlikely a pairing as, say, Neville Longbottom and Hannah Abbott.

"Hey, To . . . er, Katerina."

Tonks looked up and smiled. "Jimmy." She then canted her head. "You look like you have something on your mind. Have a seat and let's talk."

O'Bannon groaned. He couldn't believe Tonks read him so well. On the ice he'd become a master of "The Game Face," masking his true emotions from the opposition.

_Well, there's a lot more at stake here than winning a hockey game.  
_He plopped down next to Tonks.

"So?" she asked expectantly.

O'Bannon gazed at her face, his jaw flexing. He had second thoughts about this. What would Tonks think of him if he spewed out his worries? But dammit, he had to get it off his chest. He couldn't talk about this to Jared, Rosa or Artimus. He was their leader. He had to appear confident in front of them. The same with his old Triad teammates.

Tonks, however, was an outsider. As an auror, she also had way more experience than him in these situations.

"It's just . . ." He sighed and looked away for a moment. "This is gonna sound stupid. I'm just getting worried about all this."

"Well who isn't?"

"No, I mean. I'm _really_ worried. All I can think of is what if we can't contact the Order? What if Luna doesn't fool her way past the aurors? What if she gets arrested? What if those reinforcements come to England? I mean, friggin' hell, this was supposed to be simple. Come here, tell Dumbledore and let the Order handle everything. But nothing's gone right since we flew out of Boston. Good God, people are gonna die if I can't pull this off. People I care about."

A sympathetic look came over Tonks' face. "Welcome to the world of leadership."

O'Bannon's eyes widened. _That's it? That's all she has to offer?_ This woman was an auror, for God's sake. She'd been trained for stuff like this. Shouldn't she have some sort of sage advice?

"Quite honestly, Jimmy," Tonks continued. "I'd be worried if you _weren't_ worried. That's what leaders do. You're going to worry when you send other people out to do a job you feel you should be doing. You're going to worry about their safety, worry if they'll succeed. Times like this, you have to try and stay positive."

"Positive?" O'Bannon snorted. "That's a tall order when every time it looks like we're free and clear, we get another curve ball thrown at us. Hell, more like a beanball."

Tonks' face screwed up in a quizzical look. She probably had no clue about the baseball terms he'd used.

He didn't bother explaining, just plowed ahead. "I've got people in two countries depending on me. And here I am, trapped in Hogwarts, every auror in Britain looking for me. I have to depend on a witch who believes in friggin' nargles to relay a message to the Order. Everything I've touched over the last twenty-four hours has turned to utter crap and people are gonna die because of it!"

"Jimmy!" Tonks grasped his lower arm. He held his breath as she stared at him. Intensity blazed in Tonks' eyes. O'Bannon couldn't turn away. He felt Tonks' fingers pressing hard into his skin. "Don't let your worries consume you. If you do that, you're going to panic, and panic accomplishes nothing. We need you to have a clear head."

"Maybe what we need is someone else to be in charge. Hell, I don't even know how I became the de facto leader of our little quartet. Rosa, Jared and Artimus are all purebloods. They grew up in this world. I was just a happy, content little Muggle until I was ten and surprise, surprise, I found out I'm a real wizard. Out of the four of us, Rosa should be in charge. She comes from a family of aurors. She wants to be an auror. That makes her a hell of a lot more qualified than a hockey player who can barely pass his Potions class."

"She's not in charge," Tonks said forcefully. "_You_ are. And there's a reason your three friends follow you, and why your headmistress chose you for this mission. I saw it myself when I was at Salem. You're a fighter." She squeezed his arm tighter, to the point it started to hurt. "You won't quit. You won't back down, whether it's playing your hockey game or fighting Death Eaters in Ovenderburg. Look at all the obstacles you've faced since coming to England. You've overcome them all up to this point. And you'll overcome this one as well."

Tonks edged closer to him. His heart beat a little faster as the auror's face hovered inches from his. O'Bannon could make out every pore, every scratch, and speck of dirt on her face. Even with all that and her sweat-soaked hair, she still looked hot.

"You're a good man, Jimmy." Her voice softened. "You're brave, loyal, passionate, you have a clear sense of right and wrong. We're going to need people like you if we have any hope of defeating You-Know-Who."

His anxiety started to melt away. He continued staring at Tonks' face, soothed by the warmth it projected, and the confidence. Confidence in him.

"Thanks, Tonks." He managed a brief smile. "Sorry I kinda freaked out."

"Hey." She shrugged. "You're only human. You okay now?"

"Yeah. Yeah, fine. Just gonna stay positive. Luna's going to find Professor McGonagall. Even if she doesn't, we'll find some other way to alert the order."

Tonks let go of O'Bannon's arm and rubbed his shoulder. "It's like I said when we first met back at Salem. You have what it takes to be a good auror."

"You really mean that?" He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Considering how hard the training is, that's not a statement I'd throw out there lightly."

O'Bannon studied Tonks' face, looking for any sign she was BSing him, or rather, saying it just to be nice.

She looked dead serious.

He worked his jaw back and forth. Part of his mind mulled over Tonks' words. Another reveled in the fact her hand still rested on his shoulder. He looked away from her, searching the Room of Requirement until he spotted Rosa, who was sharing a good laugh with George Weasley. He thought of all the stories Rosa told of her family's adventures in the Bureau of Aurors.

_Could I really . . ._

A loud thunk echoed throughout the room. All eyes turned to the double doors as they swung open. O'Bannon jumped up from the cushion when Luna Lovegood casually walked in.

"Luna!" Half-a-dozen voices, including his, erupted as everyone surged toward her.

"Are you okay?" asked Harry.

"What took you so long?" demanded Hermione.

"Did you find Professor McGonagall?" O'Bannon's face tightened in anticipation.

"Hello, everyone." Luna smiled dreamily at the group, seemingly without a care in the world. "I'm sorry I'm late. I was detained by Professor Umbridge and Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson on my way to Professor McGonagall's office."

Several gasps went up from the D.A. members.

"They didn't do anything to you, did they?" Ginny asked.

"No. Well, not initially. Umbridge did have Draco and Pansy escort me back to the Ravenclaw Tower. They cast five Trip Jinxes on me before we got there. I must say, they are rather good with that jinx."

Anger surged through O'Bannon. What the hell kind of guy abused a girl like this? A girl who'd never done a damn thing to him. More than anything, O'Bannon wanted to get hold of Malfoy and pound the s.o.b. into a bloody mess.

He gazed at the others. Ginny's face nearly matched the color of her hair. Angelina Johnson and Susan Bones shook their heads. Michael Corner, Terry Boot and Cho Chang looked . . . ashamed? O'Bannon wondered if they had picked on Luna in the past, or just ignored her.

Then there was Harry Potter. His head shook with rage as he stepped over to Luna. "I can't believe that scumbag . . . even for Malfoy this is beyond the pale. Did he . . . hurt you?"

O'Bannon took note of Harry's tone. There seemed more to it than just the typical concern an average person would have for the well-being of another. If it hadn't been for the fact Harry was with Cho Chang, he'd wonder if The-Boy-Who-Lived had a thing for Luna.

_Now that would be one hell of a pairing._

"I just had a few scrapes and cuts," Luna told Harry. "I healed them myself before I snuck out of Ravenclaw Tower to come back here. I'm all right, really."

"Luna." O'Bannon strode over to her. "Did you find Professor McGonagall? Did you tell her about the Longathian Tunnel?"

"Oh yes, that. Unfortunately, there was a problem."

O'Bannon swallowed. "What problem?"

"Well, it appears Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall are no longer at Hogwarts."

* * *

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** _Props out to the new feature on this site "Reader Traffic," which allows us to find out the country of origin of the people reading our stories. I've learned there are quite a number of people in Bulgaria who are reading "Dark Horizon," and hopefully enjoying it. So let me give a shout out to the contingent from Viktor Krum's native land . . . and heck to all the people around the world enjoying this fic. Also, Artimus' relationship with Cecelia Malfoy and Tonks' exploits at Salem are chronicled in my fic "Air of Disharmony."_


	11. Plan B

**CHAPTER 11: PLAN B**

* * *

"Wh-What?" O'Bannon swayed, overwhelmed by shock. Dumbledore? McGonagall? Not at Hogwarts? How the hell . . .

More stunned voices rose from the D.A.

"What do you mean they're not here?" Alicia Spinnet blurted.

"Where are they?" demanded Parvati Patil.

"Why would they leave?" Little Dennis Creevey sounded on the verge of panic.

"Quiet down!" Harry held up his arms, then turned back to Luna. "Luna, what do you mean Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall aren't at Hogwarts?"

Luna cocked her head. "I thought I said it clearly. Is something wrong with your hearing, Harry?"

"No, that's not what I meant. I mean, why are they gone? How did you find out?"

"Oh. Professor Umbridge told me. She said they were both summoned to London."

"What the bloody hell for?" Ron threw out his arms.

"The Minister of Magic wanted to personally evaluate how they have been running Hogwarts. At least, that's what Professor Umbridge said. Personally I think she's lying."

"What a surprise." The skin around Cho Chang's nose crinkled.

O'Bannon snorted. "Anyone who thinks this is a coincidence raise your hand."

"What do you mean?" Artimus inquired.

"Think about it. After we give those aurors the slip, that dumbass Cornelius Fudge decides now is the best time to bring in Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall for an 'evaluation.'" O'Bannon bent his fingers up and down to form quotation marks. "I ain't buying it."

"Well remember." Tonks looked to O'Bannon. "The Ministry is accusing you and your friends of being foreign mercenaries hired by Dumbledore to overthrow Fudge. It would make sense for them to remove him from Hogwarts."

"McGonagall, too? Why?" Rosa asked.

Hermione answered her. "Outside of Hagrid, Professor McGonagall is the one teacher more loyal to Dumbledore than anyone else at Hogwarts."

"Hang on." Ernie MacMillan raised his hand. "When you say 'remove,' do you mean permanently?"

Hermione frowned. "We know Umbridge and Fudge have been wanting to sack Professor Dumbledore for months. Jimmy's presence could give the excuse they needed."

O'Bannon hung his head and closed his eyes.

"Oh no, Jimmy!" Distress filled Hermione's voice. "I didn't mean it like I'm blaming you. I don't. Please don't think this is your fault."

_Too late for that._ He turned away, staring at the wall, not wanting to look any of his British friends in the eye. Not only couldn't he get one simple message to the Order of the Phoenix, now he may have cost Dumbledore his job. Dumbledore, the headmaster most of the students at Hogwarts adored. Dumbledore, who went out of his way to help set up the hockey game between the Triad and Slytherin last year. A game he said would help forge new, strong bonds between students from four different countries, bonds that would be needed if a second war with Voldemort ever started.

And how did he repay this man, one of the greatest wizards ever? By getting him fired, which would probably put Toadface in complete control of Hogwarts. His friends would just love that.

"Wait." Ginny Weasley looked around at the others. "You don't think the Ministry may have arrested Professor Dumbledore?"

"I'd like to see them try," Fred scoffed.

"Yeah." George's voice didn't hold a trace of worry. "Even if they sent every auror in the country after him, they still wouldn't be able to haul in Ol' Dumbledore."

"Whatever the case," Rosa said. "Dumbledore and McGonagall aren't here. So we have to go to Plan B."

"Plan B?" Ernie's brow furrowed.

"It's a Muggle expression Jimmy taught me." Rosa flashed a smile at him, though he was too miserable to return it.

She continued. "Basically, it means when the plan you have falls apart, you come up with an alternative. We just have to figure out who else we can trust with this information."

"Excuse me." Luna's dreamy voice floated over the D.A. and the Americans. "But it might be a good idea to come up with a plan back in our houses. Umbridge said all students have been confined to their dormitories while the aurors are searching the school. Oh, and she was also concerned that no one could find the other Fifth Year prefects from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff."

Startled gasps went up from the students. A look of sheer terror descended over Padma Patil. Both Ernie MacMillan and Hannah Abbott turned to each other, the color draining from their faces. Ron Weasley's Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"What the hell's wrong with you!?" raged Zacharias Smith, who had recovered from Rosa's Body-Bind Curse. "Why didn't you tell us this when you first walked in, you loony idiot!?"

"Don't call her that!" Harry snapped.

"Watch your mouth, Smith!" O'Bannon followed up a split-second before Harry finished his sentence.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Smith thrust a finger at O'Bannon. "This is all your fault. You brought this down on us! Why didn't you just stay in your own damn country and leave us alone, you stupid Yank!?"

"SHUT UP!!" Rosa bared her teeth and pointed her wand at Smith. The jagoff clamped his mouth shut and backed away.

"Look." Harry rotated his body, scanning all the D.A. members. "We'd better head back to our houses now."

"There's no way we're all going to avoid those aurors," Michael Corner blurted. "And they're going to be really suspicious of any of us who were on the Triad."

"Michael's right." Anthony Goldstein nodded. "What are we supposed to tell the aurors if they catch us?"

"Tell them you were making out," Rosa simply stated.

"Making what?" Anthony raised an eyebrow.

Rosa sighed. "Oh jeez. What do you guys call it here? Oh yeah. Snogging."

Michael and Anthony turned to one another, sharing a disgusted look.

"There's no way I'm going to say I was snogging him." Michael pointed to Anthony.

"Same here."

Rosa let out a frustrated breath. "I didn't mean with each other, you morons. I meant your excuse can be you were all at a make out party."

"What's a make out party?" Angelina gave Rosa a puzzled look.

"Merlin's beard!" Rosa gaped and shot the other girls in the D.A. disbelieving looks. Most of them looked as equally baffled as Angelina. With an exasperated sigh, she continued. "It's where a bunch of guys and girls get together. You sit in a circle and play games like Whirly Lips or the Muggle one, Spin the Bottle, to find out who you kiss. I put a few of them together back at Salem."

"What!?" Jared's eyes bulged. "You did that?"

"Yeah."

"And there were hot girls at these make out parties?"

"Yes." Rosa drew out the word, sounding a bit annoyed.

"And you didn't invite me? Or Jimmy or Art?"

"I wasn't going to be part of a game where I might wind up kissing my cousin or my two best friends."

"Excuse me," Hermione said forcefully. "But I think we'd best leave. Now."

"It'd probably be a good idea if you pair up with someone," Rosa suggested. "To make the make out party story more convincing."

"Or if you really want to make it convincing," Fred waggled his eyebrows, "you might want to leave a little _evidence. _Some lipstick marks on the cheek. Or a love bite on the neck. Any ladies that would like to volunteer, please step forward."

Fred grinned and leaned forward, sticking out his left cheek. George looked like he was about to do the same, then glanced at Rosa and held his ground.

Both Hermione and Alicia rolled their eyes. Ginny mimicked throwing up. Parvati and Lavender giggled.

Angelina, however, sauntered over to Fred, putting a little sway in her hips. O'Bannon's eyes widened. He'd always sensed an underlying sexual tension between those two his entire year at Hogwarts. But for whatever reason, they never moved beyond being just friends.

Angelina drew closer to Fred, a seductive smile on her lips. Katie Bell and Lee Jordan both gaped at her. The tall dark-skinned girl bent forward, her lips aimed at Fred's cheek.

At the last second, she reached out, grabbed Fred's ear and twisted it.

"OWW!! YEARGH!! T'HELL?"

"Stop messing around and let's go, you git!"

The entire room erupted in laughter as Angelina dragged Fred by the ear to the door. Even O'Bannon managed to forget his doldrums and laugh along with everyone else.

The others began filing out of the Room of Requirement in pairs, saying their good-byes to O'Bannon and his friends. Ginny and Michael left holding hands. So did Ernie and Hannah. O'Bannon wondered if it was just for appearance sake, or if they had really, finally gotten together. Like Fred and Angelina, the two Hufflepuff prefects couldn't make up their minds if they wanted to be just friends or boyfriend and girlfriend.

Harry and Cho were among the last of the D.A. to leave. O'Bannon cranked an eyebrow when he saw neither of them smiling, or holding hands. In fact, a significant amount of space separated the two.

_Trouble in paradise?_ If so, he hoped Harry straightened it out. For crying out loud, Cho Chang was hotter than the surface of the sun.

"Hey! What about us?" Jared held his hands out to his sides. "We can't exactly stroll all over this place?"

"You'll have to stay in here," Hermione said from the doorway, where Ron also stood.

Jared curled his lips and gazed around the room. "Lucky us. This looks like a comfy place to crash."

"Don't worry. It will be." Hermione paused. "Or at least it will be acceptable."

She and Ron bade them good night and closed the door.

"Say," Artimus spoke up. "What did she mean by -"

A series of loud pops echoed through the room. Everyone jumped. O'Bannon's head whipped around. He froze when he noticed the room had changed.

"What the hell?" Artimus said breathlessly.

O'Bannon blinked when he saw a series of brick dividers with privacy curtains over the front. He walked over to one, drew back the curtain and poked his head inside.

"Whoa." He scanned the little bedroom, with its simple cot, chair and nightstand with an old-fashioned wind-up alarm clock. To the left was a small private bathroom. It all looked rather Spartan, but what the hell. They had a place to sleep and freshen up.

"I can't believe that Hermione girl wants us to get some sleep." Artimus grimaced as he hobbled over to another of the newly materialized bedrooms. "How the heck can anyone sleep with all those Death Eaters and dark creatures ready to invade England?"

"Yeah." Jared nodded. "We should figure out another way to contact the Order."

"I think Hermione has the right idea."

O'Bannon's head jerked back in surprise. He never expected Tonks to recommend getting some shut eye while You-Know-Who's followers in the States threatened to invade her country.

She scanned O'Bannon and his friends, all of them wearing looks of astonishment. "We've all been through a lot today. And you lot spent half-a-day on an airplane coming over here. Who knows what we're going to have to face over the next day or so. But whatever it is, I don't want us facing it tired. I recommend we all get four hours sleep, then we can tackle this problem with clearer minds. Now turn in."

Tonks folded her arms and gave them all a stern gaze. Her tone and posture suggested she wouldn't tolerate any argument. Remembering the time he spent with her at Salem, O'Bannon knew Tonks was not a woman you wanted to cross.

"Tonks is right," he said. "We could all do with some rest."

Rosa, Jared and Artimus nodded. They each picked a bedroom and went inside.

"Good night, Jimmy," Tonks said to him as he grabbed hold of the curtain to his room.

"Night, Tonks. And thanks again for saving our asses."

Tonks smiled wide. "That's what friends do."

A weightless sensation swept through O'Bannon's insides. He, too, smiled wide. _We're really friends._

He didn't know why that surprised him. They had been through quite a bit between the Projection Potion incident at Salem and their battles with the aurors today. She'd given him so much good advice. More importantly, he felt she treated him as an equal, not some punk kid with delusions of being a hero. After all that, why shouldn't they be friends?

_Maybe I just had to hear it from her to really believe it._

With one last glance at Tonks, O'Bannon slipped through the curtain. He kicked off his sneakers and pulled off his sweatshirt before lying down on his cot. He had no idea how the hell he was going to get any sleep. All sorts of worries swirled through his mind. The Longathian Tunnel. Warning the Order. Artimus' injured knee. Dumbledore and McGonagall possibly fired, or worse, arrested. His Hogwarts friends being scrutinized by Umbridge and these aurors.

_What do I do? What do I do?_ He struggled to come up with solutions.

Fatigue soon overwhelmed him. Jimmy O'Bannon's worries vanished as he fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	12. The End Of The Beginning

**CHAPTER 12: THE END OF THE BEGINNING**

* * *

"Gosh darn it!" Ten-year-old Jimmy O'Bannon slapped the cushion of the large sofa he sat on, scowling at the TV. He watched Bernie Williams' line drive bounce all the way to the crocked center field wall. One Yankee crossed the plate, followed by another. Jimmy growled as stupid Bernie Williams stood on third base with a triple. The Fenway faithful rained boos on that useless tool of a pitcher Tim Wakefield. Jimmy joined in the chorus, hoping the closed door of the den muffled his jeering. His parents had yelled at him more times than he could count about getting carried away while watching sports.

He crossed his arms and slammed his back into the sofa, his narrowed eyes fixed on the score in the upper right hand corner of the screen. 7-1 in favor of those crap-eating Yankees. And it was only the third inning!

_Maybe the TV will blow up and I won't have to watch this cruddy game anymore. _That actually happened last year when he'd been watching the Yankees womp on the Bosox. Paul O'Neill had jacked a grand slam. Jimmy started yelling at the TV and it just blew up. Mom and Dad had no idea what caused it. TVs don't suddenly blow up, they said.

He sighed as Boston's manager slowly walked to the mound to yank Wakefield. What he wouldn't give for the Fall, just over a month away, to never come. The outlook for Boston sports looked pretty bleak. The toejam sucking Yankees seemed to have the American League East title sewn up. The Patriots wouldn't do squat with Drew Bledsoe at quarterback, at least that's what all the sports talk shows said. The Bruins would probably be also-rans again. And the Celtics? Well, they hadn't been the same since Larry Bird retired.

But sucky sports teams wasn't the only thing he fretted over. He'd be returning to school soon. Fifth Grade. Only this time he wouldn't have Paul, Zach, Brady and Geoff to pal around with.

Jimmy folded his hands in his lap and stared down at them. His shoulders sagged. _I shouldn't have stood up for Timmy Warren._ If he'd just let his friends pound on the fat nerd, if he'd joined them in beating up Timmy, everything would be cool. His friends wouldn't hate him. They wouldn't have gotten the rest of the class to turn against him. But watching Timmy cry and beg as everyone took turns hitting him made Jimmy sick to his stomach. How could people do that to a kid who never bothered anyone?

No doubt about it. School was going to suck this year.

A knock on the door startled him. Jimmy turned to find the door opening.

"Jimmy?" Mom poked her head inside.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Um, I . . . I need you to come to the living room. Now."

Jimmy's eyebrows scrunched together. Something rippled through his insides. Mom looked worried. Maybe even scared. What the heck was going on?

He dragged himself off the couch, not bothering to shut off the TV. He stared at Mom's round face, framed by coiffed black hair. She bit her lip as she gazed down at him. His neck muscles tightened. Was he in trouble? If so, wouldn't Mom be yelling at him?

He followed her down the little hallway and into the living room. Dad sat in his easy chair, his tall frame at an angle, his eyes fixed on someone. Jimmy followed his gaze. His eyes bulged when he saw the person sitting on the sofa.

The squat woman wore long navy blue robes with shiny silver sequins. She had a compact face with numerous wrinkles. Dark gray curls of hair spilled out from under her pointy . . . well, witch's hat was the best description he had for it. Despite being old, the woman had a certain vibrancy to her.

_Who is she?_

He looked at his parents. Both gave the weird-looking old woman cautious stares. Why didn't they seem comfortable around her? Why would they invite her into the house if they had any misgivings about her?

Jimmy slid closer to Mom. His heart pounded hard in his chest.

"Hello, Jimmy." The strange old lady smiled and stood.

"Hi," he responded shyly. He found himself pressed against Mom's leg.

"I've been looking forward to meeting you." She walked around the coffee table and approached him, still smiling.

Jimmy looked at his parents again. Despite the woman's friendly demeanor, Mom and Dad still appeared nervous.

"My name is Athena Esmeralda." She stuck out her hand.

He gazed at it for several seconds. The lady seemed nice, but the way Mom and Dad stared at her . . .

Jimmy sucked down a breath and shook her hand. "Wh-Why are you here?"

"Well, I'm here to talk about your future."

Mom put a hand on his shoulder. His entire body tightened. _My future?_ Was he in some kind of big trouble? Had he done something really bad? What could it have been?

"You see, I'm the headmistress of a very special school, one for children like you."

"Like me?" Jimmy scrunched up his face in confusion. What the heck made him special? He was an okay student. Maybe it had to do with hockey or baseball. He was good at those sports.

Athena Esmeralda took a step closer to him. He realized if he stood on his tip toes he could look her in the eye.

"Jimmy," she said. "I know this is going to sound unbelievable, but I assure you it's true. You've read and heard stories about witches and wizards, haven't you?"

"Yeah."

"Well, they're more than stories. Witches and wizards do exist."

"What?" He drew his head back in surprise. Mom's grip on his shoulder tightened. He looked to her, then Dad. He'd never seen them so tense in his life.

"What . . . what does this have to do with me?" he stammered.

Athena Esmeralda's smile grew wider. "You're a wizard, Jimmy."

His jaw fell open. He gaped at the old lady with unblinking eyes. He tried to say something, but it came out as unintelligible gasps.

Finally he found his voice, barely. "A-Are you serious?"

Athena Esmeralda pulled a stick from beneath her robes. "Do you mind?" She gazed at Mom and Dad.

They both gave slight shakes of their heads.

The – _witch? –_ held out the stick and flicked it.

The framed photos on the fireplace mantle _floated _in the air.

Shock overwhelmed him. It had to be some kind of trick.

The photos arranged themselves in a straight line and flew around the living room. Jimmy whipped his head around to follow them. This couldn't . . . how . . .

The photos returned to the fireplace mantle, exactly where they had been a minute ago.

"Of course, that's not as impressive as say . . . _Expecto Patronum!"_

Mom yelped as a beam of white light shot from Athena Esmeralda's stick. Dad pushed himself back in his chair as a ghostly white hawk formed and soared around the room. Seconds later it vanished.

Jimmy breathed heavily, his eyes focused entirely on Athena Esmeralda. "That was so cool!"

The witch smiled.

"Oh my God. You really are a witch. You can do, like, real magic and stuff."

"That's correct."

"And me? I mean, can I really do that kind of stuff, too?"

"Well, not yet. You have the ability in you. It's just a matter of honing it. The school I run will help you do that."

"What school's that?"

"The Salem Witches Institute." Athena Esmeralda said proudly.

"But-But . . . I mean, how can I be a wizard?"

"Well, for you it's a rather unique situation. You see, the majority of witches and wizards come from families that already have magical roots. But sometimes boys and girls born into non-magical families, what we call Muggles, wind up with magical abilities. There are many theories as to why this happens, but no one has been able to determine the truth. Still, it happens, and as fortune would have it, it happened to you."

"But how did it happen to me? I've never done anything like you just did."

"Nor would you be able to at your young age. But your abilities would manifest themselves in periodic bursts when your emotions are running high. Usually emotions like fear or anger."

"Remember the TV last year, Jimmy?"

He turned to Dad. "Yeah. It just exploded for no . . ." He stopped, his mouth hanging open. He remembered how furious he'd been when Paul O'Neill hit that grand slam. Not many things made him as angry as watching the butt-sniffing Yankees beat his Red Sox.

_Oh my God. It was me. _I _blew up the TV._

"I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to do it."

"Jimmy, don't worry about it." Dad held up a hand. "I think we have more important issues here than a destroyed television."

Jimmy nodded and looked to Athena Esmeralda, who still smiled at him. He quickly forgot about the blown up TV. This was really real. He was a wizard. He, James Michael O'Bannon, was an honest-to-God wizard. And he'd be going to a school with other wizards.

Images popped into his head. He saw himself waving a magic wand, conjuring a ghostly hawk like Athena Esmeralda had, or making objects float or turning buttheads who made him mad into rats.

Outside of playing hockey, he couldn't think of anything that could be more fun than being an actual wizard.

"Yo, Jimmy!" A loud voice shook the world. "Wake up!"

O'Bannon's eyes snapped open. The living room and everyone in it had vanished. Instead a stocky young man with curled black hair stood over him.

"Come on, man," urged Jared Diaz. "Tonks said it's time to rise and shine."

O'Bannon rubbed his eyes and scanned his little bedroom. That's right. He was in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts.

He groaned and sat up on his cot.

"Hope I didn't interrupt a hot dream." Jared grinned.

"Actually I was dreaming about Headmistress Esmeralda."

Jared backed away, his face contorted. "Oh no way. She wasn't naked, was she?"

"What!? No! Eew! What the hell's wrong with you, asking something like that?"

"You're the one dreaming about our Headmistress, not me."

O'Bannon scowled at his friend. "I was dreaming about the first time I met her, when she told me I was a wizard, you dipstick."

"Oh. I think my dream was better. Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell were in it. You wanna know what they were wearing? Or not wearing?"

O'Bannon's eyebrows went up. "Well, now my curiosity is piqued."

The curtain got shoved open. Rosa Infante appeared, a stern look on her face. "Hey, quit yankin' your cranks and get a move on."

"Yes, your highness." Jared bowed to his cousin. "I live to serve."

Rosa flipped him the bird.

After Jared went back to his bedroom, O'Bannon padded into the bathroom.

_Now I know why the Brits call these things water closets._ The damn thing was about the size of a closet. All he had to do was take two steps back from the toilet and he'd be in the shower, which would be a tight fit even for little Professor Flitwick, never mind him.

A shower, a shave – with his wand – and a change of clothes revitalized him. Except for his stomach. A growl came from that empty pit. When was the last time he'd eaten? It had to have been back on the plane. My God, was that yesterday?

He drew back the curtain and stepped out of his little bedroom. He stared at the floor, the dream replaying in his mind. He closed his eyes, drifting back to that day more than six years ago. He'd entered this world wide-eyed and naïve. Being a wizard was supposed to be fun, making things happen with a wave of the wand, flying on brooms, mixing potions, turning bricks into toy ships. Even better, when he began to notice girls as . . . _girls, _he appreciated the fact real-life witches didn't resemble the crocked, wrinkly old hags he'd seen in movies like _The Wizard of Oz_. That was certainly the case with Rosa and Tonks and Mireet Miradeaux and . . . Rana Rollingsworth.

His shoulders sagged. The magical world might be amazing, but it also had the same sorts of problems as the Muggle world. Broken hearts, prejudice, self-serving politicians, greed, war.

Then, of course, there was the power mad dark wizard bent on taking over both the wizarding _and _Muggle worlds. Lord Voldemort would be one step closer to that goal if O'Bannon couldn't alert the Order of the Phoenix about the Longathian Tunnel.

So much for the wizarding world being fun.

"Jimmy. You okay?"

He looked up to find Artimus Rand hobbling over to him, concern radiating from the tall boy's face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."

"About . . .?"

O'Bannon twisted his lips. "About how to warn the Order? Can't think about anything else, can we?"

"No, I guess not."

O'Bannon spotted Tonks using her wand to form a circle of cushions. He noticed she had changed her appearance. The black-haired, mousy look of Katerina Ponce was no more. Instead, Tonks had given herself shoulder-length purple hair, higher cheekbones, and a shortened nose.

She looked really good.

Even in her Katerina Ponce guise, she looked really good.

He took a seat next to Tonks, with Artimus to his left and Jared and Rosa sitting across from him. They started brainstorming. Artimus asked about simply sending a Patronus Charm to contact the Order.

Tonks shook her head. "Given all the aurors around here and the protective charms surrounding Hogwarts, any patronus message we send runs the risk of being detected."

Rosa suggested using one of the secret passages. O'Bannon wondered about sneaking across the grounds in the dead of night and going over the wall. Tonks nixed both ideas, at least until they learned how many aurors patrolled Hogwarts, their locations and whether they still had that Anti-Apparation Field set up around Hogsmeade.

"By the time we find all that out, You-Know-Who's reinforcements will be here," said Jared.

"Well we're not going to help the Order any by getting ourselves captured," she countered.

"Isn't there anyone else from the Order here that we can trust?" asked Rosa.

Tonks slowly bobbed her head left and right. Seconds of silence passed before she sat up straighter. "Of course. I don't know why I didn't think of it before."

"You got someone?" O'Bannon slid closer to her.

"Yes I do. Professor Snape."

"Snape?" A disgusted look came over his face. Then he remembered. Back at Salem, Tonks had said Snape was part of the Order of the Phoenix. Actually, he'd been the one who alerted them to a Projection Potion being used at the school.

Then he remembered something else. "Well, if we're going to tell him, I hope he's conscious to hear it."

"What do you mean?" Tonks canted her head.

O'Bannon shifted in his cushion. He averted his eyes from Tonks. "Um, well, I forgot to mention it when I was giving the rundown of our little adventure to the D.A."

Sighing, he turned his gaze back to Tonks. "I ran into Snape in one of the corridors. He drew his wand on me and I struggled with him. That's when this auror showed up and stunned Snape by mistake. Nailed him right in the head. And when he fell, he banged his head on the floor. The guy has to have a concussion, maybe a pretty bad one."

Tonks closed her eyes and lifted her head to the ceiling. A groan percolated in her throat. O'Bannon's eyes fell to his lap. Was Tonks upset with him? _Why the hell shouldn't she be?_ He wished he could crawl under this cushion and remain out of Tonks' sight. A crushing sense of failure pressed down on him. Not so much failure. More the knowledge he'd let Tonks down. He couldn't bear that.

"We'll have to get someone from the D.A. to find out Snape's condition," Tonks stated, her hard stare locked on him.

O'Bannon again looked away from her.

The strategy session went on. Everyone offered up ideas, with the exception of Artimus, who simply sat quietly and gently rubbed his injured knee. Jared wondered about capturing one of the aurors and trying to convince him of the Longathian Tunnel. Tonks doubted that would work, since they really had no evidence other than their word.

Another hour passed. They were still no closer to figuring out how to contact the Order. By this time O'Bannon's stomach was screaming for food. He and his friends had only brought some candy bars and bottled water with them. It wasn't like they had planned to stick around for a long time in England, or be forced to hide in the Room of Requirement. O'Bannon inhaled two Milky Ways and drained his water. That just put a little dent in his hunger.

_I'd kill for a pizza right now . . . and some buffalo wings . . . and a couple chocolate crullers from Dunkin' Donuts._

His stomach growled loudly. He tried to erase any thought of food from his mind, not wanting to torture himself. Instead he visualized himself at Fenway Park scarfing down hot dogs and French fries. He moaned to himself.

The door to the Room of Requirement opened.

Everyone whipped around toward the door. O'Bannon's hand went for his wand. Tonks already had hers out.

The air shimmered. A cloak waved about. Out of nowhere Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger materialized.

"Holy crap!" Jared leapt to his feet. "You guys have an invisibility cloak? Too cool!"

"Whoa," O'Bannon mouthed silently. Invisibility cloaks were very rare. He couldn't imagine how three 15-year-olds came across one.

"Are you lot doing all right?" Harry asked as he shut the door.

"Oh yeah." Sarcasm laced Jared's tone. "We're having a ball in here."

"Well hopefully you won't be in here much longer." Hermione walked over to them. "We just figured out who we can use to get a message to the Order of the Phoenix."

"Who?" O'Bannon's chest clenched in anticipation.

A smile grew across Harry's face. "Hagrid."

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_Jimmy O'Bannon's reference to Timmy Warren and his Muggle schoolmates is chronicled in my one-shot "The Luna Effect."_


	13. Boiling Point

**CHAPTER 13: BOILING POINT**

* * *

"Hagrid?" O'Bannon furrowed his brow. "He's in the Order of the Phoenix?"

Harry nodded. "He's already been on one important mission for them. He tried to convince the giants on the continent to side with Dumbledore."

"Not that it went very well," Ron grumbled.

The corners of O'Bannon's mouth twitched. "Oh, that fills me with confidence."

"It wasn't for lack of trying." Hermione snapped. "It's not like wizards have given giants a lot of reasons to trust them. Besides, this time he won't have to do any negotiating. He'll just have to relay a message to Professor Dumbledore."

O'Bannon let out a slow breath. Hermione had a point.

"You think he'll be able to get out of here? I mean, with Umbridge running things here . . ."

"Hagrid will find a way," Harry replied firmly.

O'Bannon worked his jaw back and forth. "Okay, then. When can you tell him?"

"We can do it right now," Harry answered. "We can use my invisibility cloak to sneak down to his hut."

"Are you sure it's safe?" Artimus asked.

"Don't worry." Ron gave him a dismissive wave. "We do it all the time."

"Okay, then. Let's get it done." O'Bannon shook Harry's hand. "Good luck, man. And watch your asses."

"Thanks. We will."

Tonks and the rest of the quartet wished the trio good luck. Harry whipped his cloak over himself, Ron and Hermione. The three vanished. The door to the Room of Requirement opened and closed as if of its own accord.

Relief flooded O'Bannon. He lowered his head, a sigh whistling through his teeth. "Thank God."

He felt a pat on the shoulder. He turned to find Tonks next to him, smiling.

"I knew we'd find a way. Don't worry. Hagrid's reliable. If there's something that needs to be done for Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid will do it, come hell or high water."

A smile spread across O'Bannon's face. He reached up and took hold of Tonks' hand, still resting on his shoulder. An electric tingle raced through his arm. He wouldn't call her hand dainty or soft. Neither would he put it in the class of "man hands." Strong yet feminine was the best description.

"So . . ." Jared ambled over to them. "What do we do now?"

Tonks turned, slipping her hand out from O'Bannon's. A bit slower than he expected. Or maybe that was just his imagination.

"Get some sleep," Tonks stated.

Jared's face screwed up in bewilderment. "We already got some sleep."

"Then get some more. One thing I learned from Mad-Eye Moody, if you have a chance to catch some sleep in the field, you take it. You don't know when the next opportunity will come about, and you want to make sure you're well-rested to face whatever it is you're going to face. Fatigue can be as big an enemy as any Death Eater."

O'Bannon raised his eyebrows. That certainly made sense, and it sounded like something Mad-Eye Moody would say. At least he assumed it. He had to keep reminding himself a Death Eater on Polyjuice Potion taught him Defense Against the Dark Arts here, not the real Moody.

They all headed back to their bedrooms. O'Bannon stretched out on his cot, closing his eyes, willing sleep to come. Worry still niggled the back of his mind. What if Harry, Ron and Hermione got caught? What if Hagrid got caught?

_They'll succeed. They have to._ Heck, Harry defeated Voldemort at the age of one. He won the Tri-Wizard Tournament even though it was rigged by You-Know-Who's cronies. He had Hermione with him, whose brains and skills could match many adult witches and wizards. He had Ron, who . . . who . . .

_Who can what?_ What did he bring to the table? The ability to sulk? To eat? To take a girl to the Yule Ball and ignore her?

_Thank God Harry's got Hermione._

Eventually O'Bannon fell asleep. Again his dreamworld transported him back in time. He found himself sitting in the stands of the Quidditch pitch, numbed as he saw Harry kneeling over the body of Cedric Diggory. He heard whispers. "Someone said You-Know-Who did it." Cold, dark fingers enveloped him. He didn't want to believe it. You-Know-Who was dead. Wasn't he?

Screams filled the air. People ran in all directions. Shadowy figures whipped through the crowd. Ginny Weasley shrieked and fell. A blanket of darkness consumed Katie Bell. Dean Thomas kicked and flailed as something carried him off into the night sky.

_Your wand. Your wand!_

O'Bannon's arm wouldn't move. He just stood frozen as these dark, formless things slaughtered his friends.

One of them turned toward him.

A loud thud ripped the air apart. The scene of darkness, chaos and death dissolved. Brick walls surrounded him. He sensed himself lying down.

Footsteps echoed outside. O'Bannon fought through a second's paralysis as he switched from the dream world to the real world and went for his wand.

"Hello? It's us."

O'Bannon relaxed. The voice belonged to Hermione.

He pushed himself off the cot and emerged from his tiny bedroom. Tonks and Rosa were already up. Jared soon stepped out of his room, as did Artimus. Hermione and Ron stood by the closed door in their school robes, bookbags slung over their shoulders.

"Did you tell Hagrid?" O'Bannon asked, anxiousness tightening his insides. "Is he on his way to tell the Order?"

"I'm sorry." Hermione's shoulders sagged. Her gaze fell to the floor for a moment. "We never made it to Hagrid's hut."

"What!?" O'Bannon's head trembled. Anger surged through him. _Not again. Dammit, not again!_

"What happened?" Tonks asked.

"The aurors have Irish Wolfhounds to help search the grounds. Enchanted ones, gifted with better smell than regular dogs. And unlike the modern breed, they're much more aggressive, similar to the Wolfhounds the Celts used as war dogs thousands of years ago."

"Jeez, man. You are right about her." Jared, now standing next to O'Bannon, whispered to him. "She is a walking encyclopedia."

"Dogs are one thing." Ron's neck muscles tightened. "It's what else they have patrolling the school I'm more concerned about."

"What is it?" Rosa asked.

Ron swallowed. "D-Dementors."

"Dementors!?" The color drained from Artimus' face. Even Rosa noticeably shivered.

O'Bannon couldn't breathe. A chill gripped his spine. After everything he'd read about the wraith-like creatures, he couldn't imagine what possessed the Brits to use those things to guard Azkaban. Not that he was a bleeding heart when it came to punishing hardened criminals, but even he wouldn't sic Dementors on the most evil, murdering, scumsucking Death Eater to ever crawl out of a sewer.

_And now they're looking for us._

"Neither one of them are fooled by invisibility cloaks," said Hermione. "We were lucky to make it back to the castle without getting caught. You wouldn't believe what we went through to get away from them."

"So what now?" Jared slapped his sides.

"Don't worry." Hermione held up a hand. "Ginny has Care of Magical Creatures for her first class of the day. She can tell Hagrid. And since she'll be going down there with the rest of the Fourth Year Gryffindors it won't look suspicious."

"Let's just hope Toadface won't pull one of her surprise inspections on Hagrid today." A sullen look came over Ron's face.

O'Bannon snorted, turning away from the others. Merlin's beard, why does it have to be so hard to deliver a friggin' message?

_C'mon, man. Don't get down on yourself. We have another way to tell Hagrid. Everything will work. _

"Okay then." He turned back to Ron and Hermione and nodded to them. "Thanks, guys."

"We're going to succeed, Jimmy." Resolve etched itself on Hermione's face. "You have to believe that."

O'Bannon took a deep breath and nodded. "I do."

"Good. Oh! We just had breakfast, and we figured it'd been a long time since all of you ate anything. So we took the liberty of nipping some food from the Great Hall."

"Praise Merlin!" A beaming Jared clasped his hands together.

O'Bannon bounced on the balls of his feet as Ron and Hermione set down their bags and opened them. Immediately the smell of bacon and sausage filled his nostrils. The tangy scent pulled him toward the Gryffindors. He and the others grabbed handfuls of breakfast meats, toast, kippers, melons and rolls. Ron and Hermione also provided plates, utensils and cups of pumpkin juice charmed so they wouldn't spill inside their bags.

"Oh, we did have one bit of good news at breakfast," Ron noted. "Snape's been taken to St. Mungo's. Toadface said he had a nasty concussion."

"Yeah, I kinda had something to do with that." O'Bannon ran down the incident with him, Snape and the auror.

"No way!" Ron's eyes went wide. "Wicked! With any luck his brains will be so scrambled he won't be back for days. Or maybe the rest of the term if we're lucky."

Hermione shot him a cross look, though it didn't last long. O'Bannon doubted she had much sympathy for the greasy-haired a-hole, especially given the way he treated people in general and Gryffindors in particular.

With his plate full, O'Bannon gazed around the Room of Requirement for a place to sit and eat. _Man, we really need a table in here._

_Pop!_ O'Bannon jerked a bit in surprise as a plain wooden table appeared in front of him.

"That is so cool."

"Don't we also need some chairs, too?" Artimus nodded to the table.

A moment later five chairs materialized out of thin air.

"Thanks for the save, buddy." O'Bannon slapped Artimus on the shoulder. The tall boy positively beamed.

"By the way," Rosa said to Hermione as she piled food on her plate. "Did the aurors buy the make out party excuse from you guys?"

"It would appear so. We talked to some of the other D.A. members at breakfast. A few of them managed to avoid the patrols all together. Ernie said they gave him and Hannah a hard time. The same with Padma Patil and Anthony Goldstein. But they all said the aurors eventually accepted their story."

O'Bannon sighed and slumped for a moment. At least _something_ had gone right for them.

_Now if another thing can go right, like Hagrid getting our message to the Order._

He sat at the head of the table and shoveled food into his mouth. He moaned in delight as he chewed and swallowed. Artimus, sitting to his left, also dug in heartily. So did Tonks, until she knocked over her cup of Pumpkin Juice, creating a pool of expanding dark liquid on the table. O'Bannon chuckled through a mouthful of sausage.

"Man, this room is awesome." Jared plopped into the chair to O'Bannon's right. "We oughta check around Salem to see if we have our own Room of Requirement."

"I know. Can you -"

"Ron, I don't believe you!"

O'Bannon huffed and looked over his shoulder. Hermione stood, arms akimbo, glowering at Ron, who had a piece of toast in each hand.

"What?" The redhead shrugged.

"You know what? That food's for Jimmy and his friends. Not you!"

"But I'm hungry."

An incredulous look formed on Hermione's face. "How can you possibly still be hungry considering how much you ate at breakfast?"

"Oh calm down, will you? It's just a couple pieces of toast."

"That's not the point, Ronald!"

O'Bannon rolled his eyes and turned back to his friends. "Anyway, like I was saying. Can you imagine using this room for, like, a Super Bowl party? Man, that would rule!"

He waited for a reply, but Rosa, Jared and Artimus all focused their attention on Ron and Hermione.

"Just once, can't you show some consideration for others?" Hermione bellowed.

"What are you going on about?" Ron gave her a frustrated look. "Look at all the food I stuffed into my bag for them."

"And you took some of it!"

"Two pieces of toast, Hermione. _Two bloody pieces."_

"So what do you think?" O'Bannon scanned his friends, who still stared at the arguing Gryffindors. "We could probably fit like a movie screen in here. Maybe even a set of bleachers, make it feel like being at a stadium. Oh, and of course, all kinds of banners and pennants and red, white and blue bunting to celebrate the Patriots being in the Super Bowl."

Rosa, Jared and Artimus still paid no attention to him.

"And Jared and Artimus can dress up as cheerleaders while Rosa paints 'Go Pats' on her forehead."

This time Rosa switched her gaze from Ron and Hermione to him.

"Um, Jimmy?"

"Yes, Rosa?"

"Don't you think we should do something?"

"About what?"

"About them?" She pointed to Ron and Hermione, who were still bickering.

"Why?"

Rosa gaped at him. "What do you mean why? Look at them."

O'Bannon shoved a piece of bacon in his mouth and glanced over his shoulder.

"You know, you can be worse than my mother at times," Ron grumbled at Hermione.

"Well someone has to keep you in line since she's not here."

"I don't need anyone to keep me in line. Especially you!"

"Oh really? And who else here would be after you to do your homework? And to perform your prefect duties? And to stop you from calling First Years midgets?"

O'Bannon turned back to Rosa. "Yeah, they're arguing. So what?"

"So what? Jimmy, they're really going at it."

"Oh for cryin' out loud, Rosa. Those two argued every other day when I was going here. You shoulda seen it." He sat up straight and stretched his face muscles into a half-snobbish, half-annoyed expression.

"_Oh, Ronald. Why must you always put off your homework until the last minute?"_ He tried to mimic Hermione's voice. Instead it sounded like a combination of British royalty and one of the Monty Python guys playing a female character.

Both Rosa and Jared laughed out loud. Artimus lowered his head and put a hand to his mouth, stifling his own laughter. Tonks was busy using her wand to clean her fork, which she dropped on the floor for the third time.

O'Bannon continued his Hermione impersonation. _"Oh Ronald, why must you be such an insensitive wart?"_

Jared's and Rosa's laughter grew louder. Artimus convulsed, trying to fight back his hysterics. Tonks just looked at him, shaking her head.

"_Oh Ronald," _a chuckling O'Bannon kept on. _"How many times have I told you not to talk with your mouth full?"_

The laughter around the table died down. Jared bit his lip and stared at O'Bannon. Artimus swallowed nervously and cast his eyes down. Tonks simply continued eating.

"What?" A puzzled O'Bannon stared at them. Rosa winced and jerked her head forward a couple times.

O'Bannon's right cheek twitched. "They're behind me, aren't they?"

"Well," Jared replied. "One of them is."

Holding his breath, O'Bannon slowly turned in his chair. _Please be Ron._

Instead Hermione glared down at him. Anger lines dug into her face. Her shoulders rose and fell with deliberate, angry breaths.

"Hey, Herms." O'Bannon shot her the biggest smile he could. "You know I love you, right?"

For the next several minutes, he ran around the Room of Requirement, yelling, "Get 'em off! Get 'em off!" as he flailed at a flock of magically conjured canaries. Rosa and Jared pointed and laughed while Hermione watched with a satisfied smile.

**XXXXX**

After the canaries had vanished, and Ron and Hermione left for classes, and breakfast had been finished, O'Bannon and his little group had nothing to do but wait and hope for the best. Tonks, however, decided to put their down time to good use.

"Come on, then. If you're going to eventually be part of America's version of the Order of the Phoenix, you'd best get in some dueling practice. I'll even show you some spells they only teach you in auror training."

"All right!" Rosa sprang out of her chair.

O'Bannon's eyes widened. Anticipation welled up in his chest. Defense Against the Dark Arts had always been one of his favorite and best subjects. Now to actually learn it auror style . . .

The quartet lined up in front of Tonks. Artimus grimaced, favoring his good leg.

"Art, maybe you should just sit down and watch the rest of us," Rosa suggested.

"I'll . . . I'll be fine."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to hurt your knee more."

"I'll be fine," Artimus replied a bit firmly, glancing for a moment at O'Bannon.

O'Bannon's eyebrows went up as he observed his friend. No doubt Artimus was in pain, but he seemed determined not to be left out of this.

_Maybe we're rubbing off on him._ Toughness had never been one of Artimus' strong points.

Still to be on the safe side, Rosa took one of the forks and transfigured it into a crutch for Artimus.

O'Bannon marveled at some of the stuff Tonks showed them. Firebolt Curses hot enough to melt a brick wall. Shooting Spike Spells that produced tennis ball-sized flying spheres with numerous spikes. Simply conjuring them had been difficult enough for the quartet. Only Rosa had any amount of success actually guiding them.

Then came the Whirlwind Spell.

"This one is very useful when you're being attacked by multiple enemies," Tonks explained. She lifted her wand above her head and whipped it around twice.

"_Ventus Tempestas!"_

A cloudy gray vortex swirled around Tonks. O'Bannon leaned forward a bit, mouth agape, marveling at the spell.

Suddenly the whirlwind expanded. A strong gust struck him, knocking him off his feet. He glimpsed Rosa and Jared tumbling to the floor.

"Are you guys okay?" asked Artimus, who had been untouched by the tornado. O'Bannon assumed it was Tonks' doing. She probably didn't want to further injure Artimus' knee.

"Yeah, we're fine."

"Sorry to take you by surprise like that." Tonks stepped over to them. "I just wanted to show you how the Whirlwind Spell could be effective in a fight.

"Don't apologize." Rosa grinned wide as she picked herself off the floor. "That was awesome!"

The quartet took turns practicing the spell. It took Rosa three tries before she formed a thick vortex around her. Jared needed four tries to get it right. Artimus' mini-tornado never got beyond a strong breeze. O'Bannon could see the uneasiness on his friend's face.

_Probably afraid he'll spin himself into the ground._

Which was exactly what happened to O'Bannon on his fourth attempt. Instead of projecting it outward, the spell reversed on him and spun him around like a human top. He had to wait five minutes before the room stopped spinning before attempting it again.

"_Ventus Tempestas!"_

A vortex formed, but quickly collapsed.

"Dammit!"

"Just keep trying, Jimmy," Tonks urged. "You'll get the hang of it."

Twice he formed a solid vortex, but when he tried to send it outward it quickly dissipated. Rosa, meanwhile, had bowled over their breakfast table and chairs and started flinging cushions about the Room of Requirement.

O'Bannon growled, staring intently at his wand. _Come on, dammit. Get it right!_

"_Ventus Tempestas!"_ he roared and jerked his wand over his head.

A gust of wind lifted him off his feet and hurled him across the room. He crashed into the stone floor, the air shooting out of his lungs.

The others rushed over to him, asking if he was all right. O'Bannon rattled off a stream of swear words through clenched teeth.

"All right. I think it's time for a break," Tonks declared. "Go on, find a seat somewhere. I'll be with you in a few."

She shooed off Rosa, Jared and Artimus. O'Bannon let out a frustrated breath and started to rise.

That's when Tonks knelt beside him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," he grumbled.

"You want some advice?"

O'Bannon let out a long breath through his nose. "Sure."

"It doesn't help to perform a spell when you're mad. You'll wind up doing yourself more harm than your opponent. That's basic stuff from First Year Defense Against the Dark Arts."

O'Bannon's scowl became more pronounced. He wasn't mad at Tonks, per say. She couldn't have been more right. What angered him was the fact he ought to have known better. The same principal applied to hockey. If you didn't keep your anger in check, your game would suffer, and most likely, so would the rest of the team.

"I know, it's an athlete thing." She gave him a half-smile.

"What are you talking about?"

"I dated a couple Quidditch players when I was going here. One of them was Hufflepuff's Keeper. Even if we won a match, he'd whinge about the number of Quaffles he let into the goal. Like I really wanted to hear about that when we were snogging."

O'Bannon swallowed. His anger got shoved to the back of his mind as he pictured Tonks with her mouth attached to that of some faceless stranger. Within moments the faceless stranger morphed into . . . him.

He focused on Tonks' lips as she continued. "But he was like that with everything. If he failed a test, if he botched a potion, if he lost points for Hufflepuff. It all sent him into a foul mood. And I see that in you. Not just with messing up this spell, but your reactions since I ran into you in Hogsmeade. You hate to fail."

"Who likes to fail? Especially when people's lives are at stake."

"Well getting angry about it isn't going to help you or anyone else. Jimmy . . ." She got on both knees, leaning in closer. Their faces couldn't be more than a few inches apart. He held his breath, his eyes again locked on Tonks lips. An urge swept over him, one he had to beat down because it would have been inappropriate.

"You have to get hold of your emotions," Tonks continued. "Especially in these types of situations."

"How, when there's so much at stake?"

"You do it when you're playing hockey, don't you?"

"Nobody dies if my team loses a game."

"No. But in war people _will_ die if you act out of anger. You won't be able to think straight, you'll likely rush into action and wind up getting yourself or others killed. You have to remind yourself what's at stake, and that for the sake of a successful mission you have to keep your head about you. I know you have it in you to do that, Jimmy."

He just stared at Tonks, watching her blink, marveling at how beautiful her heart-shaped face was, thinking on her words. God, it was so easy to say and so hard to do, especially when every plan they'd come up with had fallen apart.

_But we've always tried another one. And another. And another._ Tonks was right. He hated to fail. He grabbed hold of that trait, strengthened it. That's what would get him and his friends through this. He would not give up, not until he was lying dead with a smoking wand clenched in his hand.

And if he had to control his temper in order not to fail, for the sake of his friends on both sides of the Atlantic he would do it, no matter how hard he had to work at it.

"Thanks, Tonks. I guess I needed a swift kick in the ass."

"Well, glad my foot was the one able to provide it."

O'Bannon chuckled. He watched her blink slowly a couple times, that trademark wry grin etched in her face. Damn, but it made her look . . .

"You know, I really appreciate everything you've done for me . . . um, us. I mean, not just here, but back at Salem."

"I was glad to."

O'Bannon took a slow breath. "You're an awesome auror, Tonks." He paused, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "Even if you are the clumsiest person I've ever met in my life."

Tonks yelped in laughter.

"I mean, jeez, did you trip over your own umbilical cord when you were born?"

A high-pitched chortle burst from Tonks throat. She pitched forward . . . and pressed her forehead into O'Bannon's shoulder.

He stiffened, feeling her hair tickling his cheek and her body convulsing with laughter. His stomach flipped over. He slid his right hand around Tonks' waist and placed it on her back. He began pressing his cheek deeper into her hair when she pulled back. He mentally begged Tonks to put her head back on his shoulder, to move in close enough until . . .

She focused on him, still smiling. He tried to read all the emotions on her face, a face that hovered only inches from his. Her chest rose and fell with slow breaths. And her hair! Right before his eyes it changed into a brilliant shade of red and orange, the color of a blazing fire.

_No. There ain't no way this can happen._ She was an auror. She was older than him. He was just overcome with lust. Tonks couldn't be . . .

He studied her face. Her eyes never left him. For a moment O'Bannon wondered if she could hear his pounding heart.

The door to the Room of Requirement flew open.

O'Bannon and Tonks both jerked in surprise. They gave each other a final gaze and turned to the door. They saw no one.

The air shimmered. A silvery gray cloak whipped about and Harry, Ron and Hermione materialized.

"What's up?" O'Bannon leapt to his feet and started over to the trio. He halted when he noticed the distressed looks on their faces.

_Please, no. _His stomach twisted, waiting for one of them to speak.

"It's Hagrid." Harry hung his head. "He's been detained by the aurors."

"What?" Rosa blurted.

"Why would they do that?" asked Jared.

"From what we heard," Hermione began, "Hagrid told Ginny he'd use the excuse of needing to go to Hogsmeade to get feed for the Blast-Ended Skrewts. But the aurors stopped him before he made it to the front gate. Umbridge accused him of trying to leave school grounds without her permission. That hag claimed he was doing something to help Dumbledore subvert the Ministry."

A stillness settled over the room. O'Bannon went numb, his eyes unable to focus on anything. Hagrid? Arrested? What the hell could they do now?

_Don't get mad. Remember what Tonks said._

He closed his eyes, trying to think of an alternative. All the adults at Hogwarts connected to the Order were gone. They couldn't leave the Room of Requirement, not with all the aurors and Irish Wolfhounds and Dementors searching for them. Could Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys get out through one of the secret passages? Even if they did, Hogsmeade was still swarming with Ministry patrols. He'd also be willing to bet they still had that Anti-Apparation field erected over the village.

_What else is there? Think. Think, dammit!_

He had no ideas.

Silence still hung over the room. Everyone stared at one another in what he could only describe as hopelessness.

Without a word, O'Bannon slowly walked to his little bedroom. No one spoke as he drew back the curtain and entered. He cast a Muffling Charm around the room, then looked down at his wand. His eyes stung. He clenched his teeth. Dammit, he was seventeen. He couldn't cry.

Even though he'd let down the Guild of the Light.

Even though he'd let down his friends in both America and Britain.

Even though he had failed.

He chucked his wand against the wall. With a roar he grabbed his cot and overturned it. He swept out his arm and knocked over the nightstand, kicking and stomping it until it turned into a pile of splinters.

Breathing heavily, he dropped to his knees and slumped forward. A heaviness pressed down on him. Somehow he held back the tears building in his eyes. He had no right to cry, no right to feel sorry for himself. Not when God only knew how many people would die because he was a failure.

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	14. A Light In The Dark

**CHAPTER 14: A LIGHT IN THE DARK**

* * *

O'Bannon sat against the wall of his tiny bedroom, his folded arms resting on his knees. Every once in a while he'd turn his left wrist to check his watch. How long before the American Death Eaters and their dark creatures arrived in England? Would Lord Voldemort use them right away? Would he continue to wait before making his move?

_Maybe the Guild of the Light already found the Longathian Tunnel. Maybe those reinforcements aren't coming._

But he didn't know that for certain. For something like this he couldn't sit around and hope for the best. He had to act.

O'Bannon just had one problem. He couldn't think of a plan to save his life.

Or the lives of every witch and wizard in England.

The swoosh and rustle of a curtain opening caught his attention. He looked up.

Tonks stood at the doorway, still gripping the curtain. She had changed her hair again, making it shoulder length with a violet hue.

"Been redecorating, I see." She scanned the room, taking in the overturned cot and the shattered remains of the nightstand.

O'Bannon merely grunted.

"May I come in?" Tonks asked.

He shrugged.

Tonks smiled and closed the curtain behind her. "Rosa wanted to come in here right away to check on you, you know. I told her to give you some time, then I'd check on you."

She grabbed the cot and set it back on all fours.

"They doing okay?" O'Bannon muttered.

Tonks paused. "As okay as expected. They're all in Rosa's room right now." She sat on the cot and patted the spot next to her. "Come here and sit."

O'Bannon grunted.

"It's more comfortable than the floor. Come on."

Sighing, he rose to his feet, walked over to the cot and plopped down next to Tonks. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor.

Tonks placed a hand on his back and gently rubbed. "Jimmy, you did your best."

He snorted. "Yeah. That'll count for something when we're ass deep in wendigos, reptoids and vampires."

"Look, we can't give up. We have to find another way to contact the Order."

"How?" O'Bannon turned to her. "We're stuck in here, we've got aurors and Dementors all over the school, and everyone we know with ties to the Order of the Phoenix is gone."

Tonks gave him a weak smile. "Maybe your Guild of the Light already found the tunnel and stopped those reinforcements."

"I thought about that, too. But we can't depend on that, can we? I was sent here as a back-up in case the Guild couldn't find the Longathian Tunnel. Give the Order a heads up on what was coming." He coughed out a sardonic laugh. "Did a great job of that, didn't I?"

"Then think of some other way."

"What do you think I've been doing?"

"Then think harder," Tonks urged. "Think of all the times you and the Weasley twins snuck around Hogwarts. Maybe there's a way we can get around the aurors and find a secret passage . . ."

"There isn't. Believe me, I've thought about that more times than you can imagine."

"Then think of something else. Something unique that most wizards wouldn't consider. Perhaps some Muggle way of communicating. If you put your mind to it . . ."

O'Bannon bolted off the cot. He took a few steps, then spun around. "Where does it come from, Tonks? Where!?"

"What are you going on about?" She canted her head.

"This . . . undying faith in me. What the hell have I done to earn it?" He closed his eyes and pressed a hand against the back of his skull. He drew a breath and continued. "You know, I keep thinking about all the times I stayed over at Jared's place or Rosa's place, listening to their parents tell stories about what they did during the Big War. And I always wonder, if I was ever in that situation, would I be as brave as Mister and Mrs. Diaz and Mister and Mrs. Infante? Would I be able to handle that kind of stuff? Well I guess we know the answer, don't we? No, I can't handle it. I was given one job, one _simple _job. Deliver a message. That's it. And I can't even do that right!"

His mouth tightened. He shook his head, his eyes locked on Tonks. "So tell me, Tonks. Why do you have so much faith in me?"

"You want to know why?" Tonks rose and slowly walked over to O'Bannon. She gently grasped his arm and stared into his eyes. "After all the time I spent with you at Salem, and after everything we've been through over the past twenty-four hours, I've learned some things about you. The biggest being you're a fighter. You don't give up. Ever. And when you know something is wrong, you don't sit back and hope someone else fixes it. You do it yourself."

Her grip on his arm tightened. She took a step closer to him. He felt the tips of her shoes touching his as she continued.

"You're loyal, you'd do absolutely anything for your friends. When you get right to it, you're a good, decent b . . . man, Jimmy O'Bannon. And we need people like you if we're to have any hope of defeating You-Know-Who."

He stood still, taking in Tonks' face. His focus narrowed to her eyes, and the confidence that radiated from them. Confidence in him. His heart hammered relentlessly. He imagined hands digging deep inside him, putting together his shattered spirit.

O'Bannon reopened his eyes. Tonks' beautiful, heart-shaped face filled his vision. Never in his life had he met someone who believed in him so passionately. Oh sure, Rosa, Jared and Artimus were as loyal as friends could be, and they'd always been there to pick each other up when need be. They had said aloud on numerous occasions how they were like a family, how they trusted and believed in each other. But it sounded different coming from Tonks. She was a few years older, and an auror. She'd probably seen more crap than he could ever imagine. Yet she believed in him. She believed that a Muggle-born hockey player from Boston actually had it in him to battle the forces of the most evil dark wizard in history.

"Thank you." He took a step back, his face muscles stiffening. "There is one idea I have."

"And you wondered why I have such faith in you." Tonks crossed her arms and smiled.

O'Bannon smiled back. He then took a breath. "We get ready to fight."

"That's it?"

"Tonks, if the Guild hasn't found the Longathian Tunnel by now, we're probably down to hours before You-Know-Who's reinforcements come ashore. If we can't contact the Order of the Phoenix, we have to be ready to fight them ourselves."

"Us and the D.A. you mean."

O'Bannon nodded. "You're the auror. You can teach them all sorts of defensive spells. And Hermione can put that big brain of hers to good use finding out everything she can about the creatures the American Death Eaters are bringing over. We need to be as prepared as possible when we face them. I know, it's a desperate plan, but it's the best I can come up with."

Tonks' body sagged. She bit her lip and looked away for several seconds. "You know, in a battle like that, no matter how prepared we are, it's going to be bloody."

O'Bannon just nodded silently.

"A lot of our friends won't make it out alive," Tonks said solemnly. "Honestly, we all might not live through this."

O'Bannon's chest tightened. Terror coursed through every vein in his body. He tried unsuccessfully to keep the realization at arms length.

He failed.

Dead. He could actually die. Bang! Zap! That's it. The end. Yeah, he believed in Heaven, but . . .

He wasn't ready. He was only seventeen. He had his whole life ahead of him. Not that he knew what he wanted to do yet, but to just have his life end, no chance to do anything.

As much as the prospect of death scared him, he found himself fearing more for his friends. Moisture welled up in his eyes as faces floated through his mind, faces devoid of life. Rosa, Jared, Artimus, Fred, George, Ginny, Mireet, Angelina, Dean, Harry . . .

Tonks.

He gazed at her. His stomach dropped when he saw the deep frown on her face. The strength she projected, so constant, so unwavering, started to show cracks.

"I always thought I'd get married and have children before . . ." Tonks lowered her eyes, not finishing the sentence.

"We're not dead yet." O'Bannon tried to sound confident, but knew he failed.

To his surprise, Tonks chuckled. "When you said that, it reminded me of the line from one of my father's favorite movies. _Monty Python and the Holy Grail._ All those characters saying, 'I'm not dead yet. Actually, I'm getting better.'"

"One of the greatest movies ever made." O'Bannon wished he had it in him to laugh.

Tonks swallowed. A tic formed under her right eye. "Dad. He's Muggle-born, you know. If You-Know-Who wins, you know . . . you know what will happen to him."

O'Bannon nodded. Cleansing the wizarding world of Muggle-borns had been a top priority for Lord Voldemort during the Big War. He doubted that would change this time around.

"He's one of the kindest, gentlest people I've ever known." Tonks' voice cracked. "And You-Know-Who and his bastards want to kill him because he doesn't fit their stupid view of the wizarding world. I just . . ."

O'Bannon nearly took a step back in shock when he saw a tear roll down Tonks' cheek. She started to turn away, taking a quick swipe at the tear.

He stepped over to her and wrapped her in his arms. "I'm sorry Tonks." He clenched his teeth, trying not to cry as he pressed her tight against his body. "I'm so sorry."

"I don't blame you, Jimmy. I don't." Tonks tightened her embrace. She sniffled.

O'Bannon pressed his cheek against her hair. He willed the tears to stay in his eyes.

One escaped.

Tonks sniffled again.

He kissed her on the temple and stroked her hair. O'Bannon breathed deep, inhaling Tonks' scent. He kissed her temple again.

Tonks pulled away a bit, her glistening eyes gazing into his. She shuddered as she drew a deep breath.

Their lips met. They gripped one another in a suffocating hug, pressing their bodies together. Their kissing grew fiercer, a mix of passion and desperation.

O'Bannon cupped Tonks' face. She inhaled greedily, still managing a smile. He rubbed her cheeks with his thumbs.

"You know . . ." He chewed on his lower lip, searching for the right words. "If we . . . I mean, if the worst happens . . . I'm really glad I got to know you, Tonks. You're just amazing and strong and . . . and really hot."

A warm smile creased her lips. Her hair lengthened and turned the color of a sunset.

"Jimmy, can I ask you something, and please be honest with me."

"Yeah, sure."

She paused. "Are you . . . I mean, have you ever? Well . . . are you a virgin?"

He drew his head back and swallowed. Before he could think it through he muttered, "Um, yeah. I am."

Tonks' smile widened. She pulled out her wand and cast a Muffling Charm around the bedroom. She leaned in and pecked his ear.

"You won't be after tonight."

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	15. One Last Chance

**CHAPTER 15: ONE LAST CHANCE**

* * *

Jimmy O'Bannon's eyelids flickered open. His consciousness emerged from the world of sleep. That's when he felt something draped on his body. What the hell . . .?

He glanced down. Elation filled his insides. His heart started up a drum beat.

Tonks lay on top of him, dozing peacefully, her head resting against his bare chest.

A smile spread across his face. Memories burst into his mind. His body tingled as he remembered every feel and sensation of . . .

_Sex! I had sex! I friggin' had sex! With Tonks!_

His smile threatened to consume his entire face. He lifted his right arm and gave a short fist pump.

Tonks moaned, her cheek rubbing against his chest. O'Bannon stiffened as her eyes open.

"Hey." He slid his hand under the blanket and down Tonks' bare back.

"Good morning." She gave him a lazy smile.

O'Bannon rolled his tongue in his mouth, trying to figure out what to say next. It should be something . . . meaningful? Heartfelt?

"Um . . . so, was it good for you?"

He closed his eyes and grimaced. _I can't believe I said that. Friggin' idiot._

Tonks folded her arms on his chest and rested her chin on her right wrist. "You were okay, for a first timer."

The corners of O'Bannon's mouth twitched. He thought he'd done better than okay. Way better.

"Uh . . . sorry. I mean, I did my best, you know."

Tonks chuckled. She came forward and kissed him on the chin. "It's amazing how fragile a man's ego is."

O'Bannon gave her a half-hearted frown. He tickled her sides. Tonks yelped with laughter. He took the opportunity to roll her onto her back.

"It's amazing how an ass-kicking auror can be so ticklish." O'Bannon laughed along with her before giving her a long kiss.

Tonks moaned when their lips parted. She stroked his cheek with two fingers. "I'm really glad this happened."

"Me too."

They kissed again.

"Tonks. Can I ask you something?"

"I think after everything we did you earned that right." She gave him that patented wry grin that made her look even hotter.

O'Bannon played with a strand of her sunset red hair. "I've always been curious. What made you want to be an auror?"

"Well, you can thank Professor Dumbledore for that."

"Really?"

"Yup. It was my Sixth Year here. One day I was on my way to Transfiguration when I saw four Slytherin arseholes using a Levitation Spell on this First Year. They were flinging the poor little boy around the hall, bouncing him off the walls. I told them to stop, they told me to bugger off."

"And that's when you kicked their asses, right?"

"Jimmy, there were four Slytherins, and I was just a clumsy little Hufflepuff." Tonks' wry grin grew wider. "I got three of them before the last one hit me with an Exploding Boil Hex."

"Eew."

"Eew is right. But before he could do anything else, Filch showed up. After he did his customary bit of yelling and accusing us of being the most horrid witches and wizards that ever trod the earth, he sent us to Professor Dumbledore's office. He took off fifty points from each of the Slytherins, gave them two weeks detention and sent them on their way."

"And you?"

"I pleaded my case, told Dumbledore I only hexed them to help out the First Year. The boy backed up my story, and Dumbledore awarded Hufflepuff twenty points. After he sent the boy on his way he asked me if I ever gave any thought to becoming an auror after graduation. I never did, to be honest. Besides, Hufflepuff's not the house for courage and daring. Gryffindor is. They're the ones better suited to be aurors. I even said so to Dumbledore. But he said that cherishing hard work and fairness does not negate courage from one's soul. Then he ran down a list of Hufflepuffs who went on to be great aurors."

Tonks grinned like she was reminiscing. "Professor Dumbledore saw something in me that day. Something I never even saw myself. I figured if he thought I could become an auror, then maybe I'd better give it a whirl. Besides, every time I thought about helping that First Year, it just made me feel . . . good. Like I'd done something important. Something that mattered. That I did what I did because it was right."

O'Bannon untangled his fingers from the lock of Tonks' hair he'd been fiddling with and slowly ran an index finger up and down her cheek. "So back at Salem, when we first met, and you listened to some of my theories about the 'bad vibes' going on, you kept saying I'd make a good auror. You weren't just saying that to make me feel good, were you?"

"You proved how smart you are, and from all the stories Fred and George and Ginny told about you, I knew you were tough and a natural leader. You're an excellent candidate for an auror."

O'Bannon shifted his gaze away from Tonks. Visions spooled through his head, of him battling dark wizards. Maybe he could . . .

_Just one problem there, Jimmy Boy._

"That would be something to consider." He looked back at Tonks. "Especially since I have no idea what I want to do after graduation, which is three months away. Of course, it's probably a moot point anyway. Who knows if any of us are going to make it out alive when those . . ."

Tonks gently pressed her middle and index fingers against O'Bannon's lips. "Jimmy. Let's not talk about . . . that. Let's just . . . let's just have this moment. Let's have something really wonderful before . . ."

He held his breath, staring into Tonks' pleading eyes. She knew what the future likely held for her, for them. The realization had also sunken in with him. He couldn't see how any of them would survive a battle with hundreds of Death Eaters and dark creatures from America, along with You-Know-Who's home grown forces. But before the coming darkness consumed him, he could at least have one last moment of happiness with a strong, beautiful woman like Nymphadora Tonks.

They kissed. She wrapped her arms around him. He slid his lips across her cheek and down her neck. Tonks moaned as he kissed her on the shoulder and down to her . . .

"Yo, Jimmy! Get up! We got -"

O'Bannon quickly rolled on his side just as the curtain snapped open. His wide eyes met the even wider eyes of Jared Diaz, who stood in the entrance. Right behind him were Rosa Infante and Artimus Rand, both with mouths agape.

"Dude, what the hell!" O'Bannon nearly screeched. Tonks, meantime, had pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.

"Whoa!" Jared responded breathlessly. "Jimmy."

"Hey! There some reason for bursting in here like this?" O'Bannon clenched his teeth.

"Oh. Um . . . uh, yeah. Um, Harry and his crew are here. They say they have a plan to contact the Order of the Phoenix."

Jared's words chased his anger and embarrassment away. For a moment, he couldn't move. Harry found a way to get the message out? Could they do it? Did they still have a last chance to avoid a bloodbath?

"We'll be right out." He was about to throw off the blanket and get dressed, until he noticed Jared still standing in the entrance, clutching the curtain, his eyes locked on him and Tonks in the cot.

"Dude!"

"Oh yeah. Sorry, man."

Jared drew the curtain shut.

"Perfect friggin' timing," O'Bannon grumbled.

"C'mon." Tonks slapped him the arm. "Funtime's over. We've got work to do."

She cast the blanket aside and sprang out of bed. O'Bannon tried to move, but found himself captivated by Tonks' trim, naked body. Desire overwhelmed him. He wanted her again, so bad he felt he'd explode.

_It's not friggin' fair._ Couldn't they have just a few more minutes before . . .

"Oi!" Tonks snapped her fingers in front of him. "Quit ogling me and get a move on. We've got a nation to save."

That snapped him out of his stupor . . . somewhat. O'Bannon forced himself out of bed and got dressed. He grimaced as he stared at the bulge in his pants, praying no one outside would notice.

_Only if they've all gouged out their own eyes._

Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he hesitated for a moment, then drew back the curtain and exited his bedroom.

He swallowed as he scanned the Room of Requirement. Along with Rosa, Jared and Artimus, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the Weasley twins were also there. O'Bannon heard footsteps behind him and glanced over his shoulder. Tonks stepped out of the bedroom, now in her mousy guise of Katerina Ponce.

He turned back to the others. Most of them stood in absolute shock. Jared smiled and nodded at him. Fred and George wore the biggest Cheshire Cat grins he'd ever seen.

Neck veins bulging, he glanced down at his waist. _Please go down. Please go down._

"So, you have a plan?" Tonks asked.

"Um, yeah." Harry answered, his astonished gaze flickering between O'Bannon to Tonks. "Yeah, I do. We just need to wait for the rest of the D.A."

They gathered some cushions and spread them out in a circle on the floor. O'Bannon forced himself to think of anything other than him and Tonks having sex. Hockey, baseball, Quidditch, the droning, monotone voice of Professor Binns. Fred and George didn't help any, sidling up to him and grinning.

"You and Tonks!" Fred whispered, his voice filled with admiration. "Blimey, mate, how'd you do that? She's what, four, five years older than you?"

"May I have the privilege of worshipping at your feet, oh stud of studs?" George grasped his shoulder.

O'Bannon groaned, wishing they'd shut up and go away. Unlike most guys, he never felt the need to brag about intimate moments between him and girls.

_There's a reason it's called 'personal.'_

He finally managed to "settle things down" on the hormonal front as D.A. members filed into the room.

"You guys get past the aurors okay?" he asked.

"Actually," Angelina Johnson replied, "they haven't been harassing us for the most part."

"Yeah." George nodded. "I think those clowns are starting to believe you're not in Hogwarts anymore. Umbridge has a few of them searching for more secret passages into and out of the school. Figures you lot must have slipped out that way."

"Still, those aurors don't appear to be letting their guard down," Hermione warned. "So neither should we."

As soon as everyone took a seat, Jared leaned forward anxiously. "Okay, Harry. So what's . . . man, what are we up to now, Plan H to alert Headmaster Dumbledore?"

"I can Floo someone who can get a message to him."

Whispers of disbelief went up from the group.

"Um, Harry." O'Bannon raised his hand. "There is a reason our Headmistress sent us to England instead Flooing you guys about the Longathian Tunnel. It's because the Ministry is monitoring the Floo Network."

"Yes, I know. But I just realized there is one fireplace we can use that the Ministry won't be monitoring."

"Where's that?" asked Hannah Abbott.

"Professor Umbridge's office."

Again, more incredulous whispering came from the D.A. members.

"Oh." Sarcasm dripped from Michael Corner's voice. "I'm sure if we ask nicely, Toadface'll just let us right in to Floo whoever we want."

Ron glowered at the Ravenclaw boy as Harry spoke. "There is a way we can do it, but we're going to need everyone's help."

"Will we get in trouble?" Worry spread across Zacharias Smith's face.

O'Bannon rolled his eyes. He also noticed Fred, George and Ginny giving the dipstick exasperated looks.

Even Harry scrunched his face in annoyance. Still he kept his tone even. "If we get caught, we will."

Smith bit his lower lip. "Then maybe we should rethink this."

"Maybe . . ." Rosa's eyes narrowed. "You should hear what Harry's plan is _before _you decide to wet your pants."

Smith's face reddened, but he kept his mouth shut.

Harry glanced around at the group before going on. "The biggest problem we have are the aurors patrolling Hogwarts. But there is a way we can get past them and into Umbridge's office. That's by throwing the whole school into a panic."

"How do we do that?" asked Susan Bones.

"Fred, George and Lee have that worked out."

The three boys smiled mischievously. Fred, with a twinkle in his eye, said, "We can sneak into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and let loose some things that are sure to cause a grand commotion."

"Like what?" Terry Boot inquired.

"Oh, just some things prior Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers left behind." George waggled his eyebrows. "Like that tosser Lockhart's Cornish pixies."

"And the boggart Professor Lupin used a couple years ago."

"Oi! Don't forget my little contribution." Lee Jordan produced a jar from beneath his robes. Little creatures that resembled a cross between an ant and a crayfish with two needle-like appendages protruding from their heads skittered around the inside.

"Lee?" Hermione gasped. "Are those . . ."

"Yup." He nodded and smiled. "Kirpalas. I was saving these little guys for the next Quidditch match. Set them loose in the Slytherin stands. But given our current predicament, I figured they're needed more now."

"But . . . but . . ." Hermione stammered. "Kirpalas are some of the most aggressive insects in the wizarding world. And they're dangerous!"

"They are not." Lee gave her a dismissive wave. "They bite you, you feel like your entire body's on fire, and that's it. They're not fatal, and you know it, Hermione."

She scowled, her head trembling. "Creatures like that aren't allowed to be kept by students."

"Well, you can take points away from us later." Fred sounded a bit annoyed. "But for now, the more chaos we can spread, the better. And these little buggers will definitely help with that."

"And that's not all," George chimed in. "We've got loads of dungbombs, Fanged Frisbees, mini vomit fountains and Whizzing Web Spitters. Enough for everyone."

"Just what are we supposed to do with them?" Justin Finch-Fletchley's face crinkled in a quizzical way.

"We want you to cram them up your arse, dance around and sing a medley of Weird Sisters songs." Fred shook his head and looked to the ceiling before returning his gaze to Justin. "We want you to use them, you pillock."

"The more confusion, the better," said George. "Those aurors won't know what to tackle first."

"And imagine what'll happen when Peeves gets involved." Fred grinned.

"Peeves?" Padma Patil drew her head back in surprise. "How did you convince him to go along?"

"We didn't. But once he sees all the chaos going on, he'll definitely want to join in."

"All that's bound to create more confusion than Umbridge and the aurors can handle," Harry said. "We should have no trouble sneaking into her office."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Ginny raised her hand. "Like the two aurors and two security trolls Toadface has guarding her office."

"Damn, isn't that a little excessive?" Jared wondered aloud.

"Well after you and Jimmy attacked Umbridge," Hermione explained, "we've heard rumors that she's convinced you want to assassinate her."

O'Bannon slapped his brow and shook his head. First Fudge and his cronies labeled him a foreign mercenary. Now he was an assassin?

_Have these morons abandoned all sense of reality?_

Hermione continued. "So she put together her own little security force."

"But one of those aurors follows her around whenever she leaves her office," Harry noted. "So it'll only be one auror and two security trolls to get past."

"We can always stun the auror." Rosa said it like it was no big deal. "So long as we can surprise him."

"Stunning Spells won't work on trolls." Hermione turned toward Rosa. "Like giants, their constitution is much greater than humans. You could cast a dozen Stunning Spells on one and it won't go down."

Rosa snorted and gave her a dismissive wave. "Who needs Stunning Spells? When we were younger, Jared and I always explored troll caves near our homes. And we always made sure to bring along oranges or grapefruit."

"What, you fed them?" Colin Creevey shot her an astonished look.

"No. We had the fruit in see-through bags. If we encountered a troll, we just swung the bag over our heads. And we chanted a bunch of nonsensical words. The big galoots probably thought we were cursing them."

"Yeah." Jared nodded. "I'll tell ya, as big and clumsy as they are, they can sure run fast when they're scared."

"Too bad we don't have any oranges or grapefruit handy." Katie Bell frowned.

"Don't worry about it," said Rosa. "It's not the fruit so much as the color. Trolls don't like bright colors. I can always transfigure my shoes from black to yellow and wave them over my head. It'll work just as well."

"I doubt it."

Rosa's brow furrowed as she stared at Hermione. "Why's that?"  
The brainy Gryffindor huffed and folded her arms. "Well, you won't be going up against trolls who live in caves. These are security trolls. Specially trained by the Ministry of Magic."

"Which means they're only a tad smarter than your average troll, which is to damn with faint praise."

"They're not going to be fooled by simple tricks like their untamed cousins. We need to find a more reliable way of dealing with them."

"My way will work," Rosa spoke each word deliberately.

"I'm not convinced." Hermione matched her tone.

"How many trolls have you encountered in your life?"

"One, actually."

"One?" Rosa tone left no doubt she wasn't impressed. "Well Jared and I have encountered _way_ more than one. So I think that makes us more knowledgeable about trolls than you."

Hermione's shoulders slowly rose as she sucked in an angry breath. Her face tightened and her eyes narrowed. Ron and Ginny, who sat on either side of her, edged back on their cushions. Like O'Bannon, they could sense an eruption building. Hermione always struck him as someone who took great offense at another student declaring he or she knew more about anything than her.

"Okay, how about this?" O'Bannon shifted his gaze between the two girls. "Let's go with Rosa's plan first, and if that doesn't work, then Hermione can come up with Plan B. Fair enough?"

"This isn't about fairness." Hermione whipped her head toward him. "It's about coming up with an actual strategy instead of some childish trick."

"Well it can't be too childish if it saved our asses _every single time_ we tried it." Rosa glared at Hermione.

"What we're doing is too important to rely on . . ."

"Guys, enough!" Harry chopped his hand through the air. "We only have about an hour before breakfast ends, and that's when we need to do this. When everyone's in the corridors on their way to class. So we really don't have time for you two to argue. Now since Rosa has a lot of experience dealing with trolls we'll go with her plan. All right?"

Rosa nodded and shot Hermione a brief, triumphant smile. The bushy-haired girl's face reddened. O'Bannon couldn't tell who received the more intense death stare from Hermione, Rosa or Harry.

"Well, now that we're all friends again." Fred smiled at both girls. "Let's run down the plan. We'll wait till five minutes before first bell. Everyone should be in the corridors by then. That's when we'll let loose the boggart, the pixies and the Kirpalas. When everyone starts yelling and screaming," he gazed at the rest of the D.A., "that's when you lot let loose with the dungbombs, vomit fountains and the rest of our stuff."

"We're gonna turn this school into a bloody madhouse." George beamed and turned to his twin. The two high-fived.

"And what if we get caught?"

O'Bannon sighed. Naturally Captain Buzzkill, a.k.a. Zacharias Smith, had to throw in his worthless two cents.

"You do realize we are aiding four Americans wanted by the Ministry for who knows how many crimes."

"That's rubbish!" Fred blurted. "Jimmy and his friends aren't criminals."

"They are in the eyes of the Ministry. And if they catch us helping them, detention will be the least of our worries. They could expel us. Maybe chuck us into Azkaban. Have you thought about that?"

O'Bannon scowled at Smith. Thankfully no one here seemed to like the little dipstick, so his worrying would likely fall on deaf ears.

"Smith does have a point, you know."

O'Bannon froze. He forced himself to rotate his head until his eyes locked on Marietta Edgecombe. She sat on her cushion next to Cho Chang, wringing her hands.

"This . . . this is serious stuff we're talking about. And my mum works for Ministry. How will it look if I get caught helping to start a riot at Hogwarts?"

"Marietta's right." Hannah Abbott's cheek twitched nervously. "I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want to get expelled, or go to Azkaban."

O'Bannon's eyes swept over the D.A. members. His lungs seized when he saw Padma Patil stare at her folded hands. The color drained from Dennis Creevey's face. Anxiety radiated from two of his former Triad teammates, Anthony Goldstein and Justin Finch-Fletchley.

"It's one thing to just tell someone to deliver a message," Smith went on. "It's quite another to throw an entire school into a panic. We need to come up with another way to do this . . ."

"There is no other way!" O'Bannon shot to his feet.

Smith opened his mouth to protest. O'Bannon glared at him, teeth bared. The jagoff closed his mouth and swallowed, looking away from him.

O'Bannon balled his fists, taking in the entire group. "Okay, you're scared of getting caught and going to Azkaban. Fine! So am I. But what's even scarier to me is You-Know-Who doubling the size of his army like that." He snapped his fingers. "If he gets those reinforcements from the U.S., going to Azkaban is gonna be the least of our worries. Yeah, Harry's plan is risky, but right now it's all we've got. The clock is ticking. If my school's headmistress and her forces haven't found the Longathian Tunnel already, then it's possible by the end of the day this country'll see an explosion in the Death Eater, werewolf, vampire and Wendigo populations. Anyone here want that?"

No one spoke or raised a hand.

"Hermione. Why did you guys form the D.A.?"

"Because Umbridge wouldn't teach us the spells we needed to learn to fight V-Voldemort and his allies."

"Mm-hmm." O'Bannon nodded. "And how long have you been practicing to do that?"

"About four months."

"Well, practice is over, and it's time to do it for real." He again addressed the entire room. "Remember what Headmaster Dumbledore said to us at Cedric Diggory's memorial?"

He paused when he noticed Cho Chang's jaw quiver. When the girl didn't start crying, O'Bannon continued. "He told us to remember Cedric when the time comes for us to choose between what's easy and what's right. Well that time's now. Because if we act like that dumbass Cornelius Fudge and do nothing, a lot more people are gonna wind up like Cedric Diggory."

He took a quick breath. "So choose. Are you in, or are out?"

Immediately Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys stood. The rest of the Gryffindor contingent followed mere moments later. O'Bannon couldn't help but smile as a surge of pride for his old House swept through him.

Cho got up the same time as the Gryffindors.

"We're with you, Jimmy." Michael Corner nodded as he rose with Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein.

"Hear, Hear!" Ernie MacMillan raised a fist as he stood.

Hannah bolted up next to him, followed by Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Padma Patil. Zacharias Smith looked around at the D.A., gazed at the floor for a few moments, then grumbled and got to his feet. O'Bannon frowned a bit. He would not have been disappointed if Smith had decided to sit on the sidelines. Actually, he would have preferred it. Guys like Smith had a talent for wrecking teams because of their crappy attitude. Considering what was on the line, they couldn't afford to have this team wrecked.

All eyes then turned to Luna Lovegood, who still sat on her cushion staring blankly into space. A full minute passed before Luna's head jerked from side to side.

"Hmm? Oh yes. Wonderful speech, Jimmy. Of course I'm with you. Sorry for not getting up, but this cushion is so comfortable. I hope you don't mind."

A few students chuckled. Others rolled their eyes. O'Bannon let the whole thing pass, chalking it up to Luna being Luna.

He caught sight of Tonks, who grinned and winked at him. Another wave of confidence rushed through him. He gave her a brief smile before turning back to the rest of the group.

"All right, gang. Let's do this. And remember, if Harry's plan doesn't pan out, we'll have to resort to my plan, and trust me we don't want to go there."

"What's your plan, Jimmy?" Ernie asked.

"Stand on the parapets, wait for those dark creatures and Death Eaters to show up, and do the wizarding world's version of the Alamo."

Everyone gave him perplexed looks.

"Basically, a heroic last stand where most, if not all of us, get killed."

Ernie grimaced. "I think I like Harry's plan better."

O'Bannon nodded. "So do I."

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	16. Opening Shots

**CHAPTER 16: OPENING SHOTS**

* * *

Fear coiled around Artimus' insides. He closed his eyes, trying to settle his breathing, his heartbeat. His imagination ran wild with images of him in Azkaban, the Dementors sucking out every ounce of happiness, every ounce of _him._ His soul, his being. He wished he was back at the Salem Witches Institute. He wished Jimmy never went to Hogwarts, then Headmistress Esmeralda wouldn't have had to send them to England.

That's when guilt mixed with his fear. After seven years of friendship, how could he even think about abandoning Jimmy and Rosa and Jared?

_But I'm no hero. Not like those three._

"All finished."

Artimus barely registered Lavender Brown's voice.

"Care to see my handiwork?" she asked.

He just nodded.

Lavender held a compact mirror in front of him. He blinked for a second, not recognizing the face staring back at him. His close-cropped brown hair had changed into stiff black hair.

"Nice spellwork."

"Thanks," Lavender smiled. Both she and Parvati had used grooming and glamour spells to change the quartet's appearance, though time constraints limited them to hair color and style. A close examination wouldn't fool the aurors, but given the commotion planned by the D.A. they'd be lucky to catch a few glances at them.

_I hope._

"Are you all right, Artimus?"

He turned to find Lavender with her head canted, concern radiating from her pretty face.

"Oh, um . . . yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

Lavender's brow crinkled. She continued to hold his gaze. Artimus tightened his face, trying to project a confident look. He could feel the attempt failing.

"You, um, sound a bit nervous." Lavender lowered her eyes, appearing uncomfortable at asking the question.

Artimus grimaced. He wanted to lie, say he was fine. How would it look to admit in front of this really gorgeous girl that he was nervous?

_Nervous? I'm scared!_

He tried to say, "I'm fine." The words died on his lips. He knew Lavender wouldn't believe him.

"Well, um, you know," he stammered. "Um, this is it, isn't it? Our last chance to warn Headmaster Dumbledore."

"Yeah, it is." Lavender slid on her knees, inching closer to him. "I'm nervous about this, too."

"Really?"

"Who wouldn't be? If we mess up, we could be expelled, or wind up in Azkaban, or like Jimmy said, go down fighting You-Know-Who and all those monsters."

Artimus frowned. "I didn't think you Gryffindors got nervous. I mean, you're the house that's supposed to be brave."

Lavender briefly chuckled. "Did you know I'm only the second one in my family to be sorted into Gryffindor?"

"Really?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "Most of my family are actually Ravenclaws, including my parents. But my Uncle Simon, Mum's brother, he was sorted into Gryffindor. My first year, when I came home for Christmas holiday, I told him I had no idea why the Sorting Hat put me in Gryffindor. I never thought myself particularly brave. When I was little I got scared whenever a thunderstorm went over my house, or if I saw a bug crawling across the floor. But Uncle Simon told me bravery doesn't mean you don't ever get scared. It means when the time comes, you're able to deal with your fear and do what needs to be done."

Artimus sighed. "Yeah, I've heard people say that before. But you know, Jimmy and Rosa and Jared, they fought Death Eaters in Ovenderburg a few months ago. Then they took on all those aurors in Hogsmeade and here at Hogwarts. They didn't look scared at all."

"I bet they were. I'd be scared if I had to fight Death Eaters and aurors."

Artimus just nodded.

"But you fought them, too. Didn't you?" Lavender asked.

"Well, yeah."

"Then you couldn't have been too scared."

"I . . . well, it was intense. But, I mean, Jimmy and Jared and Rosa were around me. They were all fighting. I had to . . . I mean, I couldn't let them down."

"Sounds like you were being rather brave. You didn't run away. You stuck by your friends." Lavender's smile widened. "I bet if you went here you'd be sorted into Gryffindor."

Artimus nearly choked on his own breath. He coughed and laughed simultaneously. "Somehow I doubt that."

"You never know. I bet . . ."

"Lavender."

Both of them looked up to find Parvati Patil striding over to them. "I'm finished. We'd best be going."

"Coming."

She turned back to Artimus. He found himself completely focused on her smile. It was such a beautiful smile. Everything about her was beautiful. Thoughts burst in his mind, thoughts holding Lavender Brown, kissing her, running his hands through her lush dark hair.

He frowned inwardly. Girls as beautiful as Lavender were simply out of his league.

_I also thought that about Cecilia Malfoy, and look what happened there . . . brief as it was._

"Good luck." Lavender clasped his hand.

Artimus held his breath, tingles racing up and down his body. He looked at Lavender's smiling face, wondering if she wouldn't mind a quick kiss . . .

Before he could decide, Lavender rose to her feet and walked off with Parvati, giving him a parting smile. He returned it, trying not to look sullen.

_Damn. Why didn't I go for it?_

He watched Lavender and Parvati exit the Room of Requirement. The corners of his mouth twisted. He looked down at the robes in his hands. A few D.A. members rustled up some spare robes for him and his friends, since students running through the corridors without robes would arouse suspicion. He focused on the red and gold patch with the lion, the symbol of Gryffindor House. The house noted for courage. Not that he had much courage when he tried to decide whether or not to kiss Lavender.

He sighed, Lavender's face imprinted in his mind's eye. Her words echoed in his ears. Her thoughts on courage, pointing out how he fought with his friends instead of abandoning them.

Artimus ran a thumb over the Gryffindor crest, thinking back to those battles with the Death Eaters and aurors. He tried to relive those moments, picturing the spells shooting around him, remembering what he had felt.

His body froze. Realization gripped him. He could clearly remember casting Stunning Spells and Shield Spells . . . and not being afraid. Or maybe what Lavender said. Putting that fear aside and doing what needed to be done. Like being there for Jimmy, Jared and Rosa when it counted.

He looked over at his friends, who were conversing with the Weasley twins, Lee Jordan and the three female Chasers from the Gryffindor Quidditch team. A surge of hitherto energy went through him, stiffening his back. Maybe Lavender was right. Maybe he did have enough courage to make him a Gryffindor.

And maybe, if they got out of this, maybe he could find the courage to do something he should have done a long time ago.

**XXXXX**

"Jimmy. We have a plan to get you and your friends out of Hogwarts."

O'Bannon knew he should be excited by Angelina Johnson's statement. He even tried to force the emotion to the surface. Tried and failed.

"Thanks, Ang. But we need to concentrate on one thing at a time. And right now that thing is getting the word out about the Longathian Tunnel."

"Well, you have your responsibility, and we have ours." She took quick glances at Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet behind her. "Look, Jimmy. All the chaos we're going to unleash will give you lot the perfect opportunity to scarper off."

He let out a slow breath. "Okay, what'd ya got?"

"Well, with everyone running around in a panic over cornish pixies and boggarts and Kirpalas, we plan to slip outside, head to the Quidditch pitch, and take some brooms out of the supply tent and leave them under the Gryffindor stands for you."

O'Bannon's stomach tightened. "C'mon, Ang. That's way too risky."

"As opposed to everything else we're doing to alert Professor Dumbledore about the Longathian Tunnel."

"But the plan is to stay out of sight while you're causing all these distractions. You guys have to stick around when all this is over. You can't afford to get caught. And how far do you think you'll make it across the grounds before some aurors or, God forbid, a Dementor comes after you."

"Actually, the Dementors are pretty much keeping to the walls around Hogwarts," Katie said. "They haven't come close to the castle."

"And as for the aurors . . ." Alicia waggled her thin eyebrows and gave a sly grin. "Well, we have ways to deal with them."

"What ways?" O'Bannon eyed her suspiciously.

"Just trust us, Jimmy," Angelina said.

He let out a slow breath. "I don't know, Ang."

"Jimmy has a point." Fred stepped next to Angelina. Worry spread across his pale, freckled face. O'Bannon couldn't remember a time when Fred looked that way. Then again, this was Angelina. Not that Fred ever said it aloud, but O'Bannon sensed his redheaded friend cared a lot about her. Probably even loved her. It always amazed him that the two never got together. He wondered if the whole "just friends" thing got in the way of that.

"Stuff Jimmy's point," Angelina snapped. She refocused on him. "You and you're friends risked a lot to warn us about the Longathian Tunnel. So if we have to take a risk to help you break out of here, that's how it's going to be."

He drew a breath, ready to argue some more. But the resolute look on Angelina's face deepened. He knew her well enough to realize when she dug in her heels like this, _no one_ was going to make her budge. Worry festered in his gut. He didn't want Angelina and Katie and Alicia to do this. He couldn't imagine living with the guilt if any or all of them wound up in Azkaban because they tried to help him.

His eyes flickered among the three girls, noting their determination. Something burned through his worry. A sense of incredulity. He couldn't believe they would risk so much for him. _Him!_ Some Muggle-born guy from Boston. How the hell did he inspire that sort of loyalty?

O'Bannon's throat constricted. He clenched his teeth, fighting back the stinging moisture in his eyes. He wished he could say something to these girls. Not only didn't he trust his voice, he couldn't think of the right words. What could he say to three friends willing to put everything on the line for him?

"Thanks." He hugged Angelina. He could think of no other way to express his gratitude. "You're a great friend."

"So are you."

He released Angelina and embraced Katie and Alicia.

"Oi!" Fred blurted. "Don't we get hugs, too?" Both he and George pretended to look dejected.

O'Bannon couldn't help but laugh. "You're more likely to get my foot crammed up both your asses."

The twins grinned and leaped on him, pounding his back and ruffling his hair, now colored black thanks to Parvati's spells. Seconds later Lee Jordan joined in the pile.

"Be careful, all of you," O'Bannon warned as he extricated himself from his British friends.

"If you worry any more you're going to turn into our mum," George said.

"Be glad we do care enough to worry about your worthless ass." Rosa, with her newly straightened brown hair, sidled up to him, smiling.

George turned to her, his features softening as they locked eyes. O'Bannon noticed the twin sucking on his lower lip momentarily. "Actually, I'm more worried about the aurors than anyone else."

"What?" Astonishment flared across her face.

"It's true. I'm worried what you might do to them. I bet it won't be very pleasant."

Rosa chuckled. "Good luck, you big goofball."

They hugged. That led to a big round of hugs and handshakes between the Brits and the quartet.

"All right, folks," Fred addressed the room. "Let's put in an appearance at breakfast. Umbridge is bound to get suspicious if we all miss it completely." He turned to O'Bannon and his friends. "Remember. Five minutes before first bell. That's when all hell will break loose."

"We'll be ready," O'Bannon nodded.

Fred smiled and started to turn when O'Bannon called out, "By the way. You owe me."

"Come again?" Fred's brow furrowed.

"This is my second trip to Britain. You guys gotta repay me by coming to Boston. I'll take you to a Bruins game."

The Weasley twins looked at one another and smiled.

"It's a date," said George, his eyes darting briefly to Rosa.

"Soon as we're through stomping You-Know-Who and his scumbag Death Eaters into the ground, we'll be showing up on your doorstep, mate." Fred pointed to him and winked.

O'Bannon grinned, trying to picture the twins clad in Boston Bruins jerseys and cheering their heads off in the new Boston Garden.

The D.A. filed out of the Room of Requirement. Dennis Creevey was the last one out and shut the door behind him.

Jared emitted a long sigh. "Well. I guess nothing to do now but wait."

"Mm-hmm." O'Bannon nodded. He glanced over at Tonks and chewed the inside of his cheek. Should he say it? The woman was an auror. She knew how to take care of herself. But after last night . . .

"You sure about your part in this?"

Tonks whipped her head to him. Her face tightened. Was she mad? O'Bannon half-expected an angry retort about him doubting her because of her gender.

Instead a smile creased her lips. "Aww, how sweet. You do care." She patted him on the cheek. "Don't worry. With all the chaos going on I should be able to sneak up on some of the aurors and stun them. It'll help add to all the confusion. Not only that, but when we fly out of here, it'll mean less aurors to chase after us."

Dread knotted his stomach. As much faith as he had in Tonks, he didn't like the idea of her doing this by herself. He certainly didn't want to think what would happen if the aurors caught her. For all his worry, he couldn't bring himself to say anything. As with Angelina, Tonks wouldn't back down either.

"All right. Just meet us at the Quidditch pitch. We're not leaving here without you."

"Like hell. The longer you wait, the greater your chances of being caught. I figure getting past the security to Umbridge's office, Flooing the Order, and getting out of the castle should take you twenty, twenty-five minutes, at best. Once you reach the pitch, if I'm not there, you can wait five minutes for me. After that, just get yourselves out of here and don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"Yeah. Okay." O'Bannon had no intention of leaving her behind. He glanced at Jared, Rosa and Artimus. From the looks on their faces, he knew all four of them were on the same page in this regard.

"Once we're clear of the school and the Anti-Apparation barrier," Tonks continued, "I'll Apparate back to Order HQ. You lot head to my parents' home. It's a gray-brick cottage with a white thatched roof a mile west of Melton Mowbray. You can hide out there until we figure a way to get you out of the country."

"But we don't know your parents," Jared pointed out. "What makes you think they'll believe us when we tell them you told us to go to their place?"

Tonks gazed at the floor in thought for a few moments. "All right. When you get to my parents' house, give them the name they used to call me when I was little. The three of us are the only ones who know it."

"So what did they call you?" asked Artimus.

Tonks snorted, her mouth twisting.

"Well don't keep us in suspense," O'Bannon urged.

Shoulders slumping, Tonks muttered, "Niffy Diffy Dora."

O'Bannon's left cheek twitched. _Niffy Diffy Dora?_ He stared at Tonks, her face scrunched in annoyance. He felt laughter building up in him. No, he couldn't laugh, not after they'd made love last night. Tonks was a friend. Much more than a friend now. He cared about her, respected her. He . . .

O'Bannon doubled over and belted out a laugh. Jared joined in the hysterics.

"Niffy . . . Diffy . . . Dora?" O'Bannon convulsed in laughter. His sides began to hurt.

"Keep laughing." Tonks scowled. "Let's see if you two think it's funny when I give you frog feet and an oxen's arse for a face!"

Both O'Bannon and Jared shut up instantly.

"Um, you know I do respect you." O'Bannon smiled at her.

Tonks snorted and turned away from him.

No one spoke much after that. They mainly checked their watches. O'Bannon alternated between wanting time to speed up and wanting it to stop all together. He also prayed, a lot. Prayed for success. Prayed his friends wouldn't get caught, or worse. His mind bombarded him with what ifs. What if Fred, George and Lee couldn't release their creatures for some reason? What if they couldn't get past the aurors and trolls guarding Umbridge's office? What if Angelina, Katie and Alicia couldn't get the brooms for them? What if they alerted the Order of the Phoenix and they still couldn't stop those dark creatures emerging from the Longathian Tunnel?

_You gotta stop thinking like that. _He thought back to his Third Year and the captain for the Blazenrowe Hall hockey team, Darcy Dunleavy, and his words of wisdom. _"Negative thoughts breed negative actions."_

He tried to think positive. Everything would work. They would succeed.

Fear of failure continued to besiege him.

Ten minutes to go. O'Bannon shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His stomach twisted painfully. He was glad he hadn't eaten anything. No way would he be able to keep it down.

Five minutes left. Sweat built up under his arms and on his brow. He could hear Artimus breathing heavily.

"Your knee okay?" Rosa asked him.

"Yeah." Artimus nodded. "Lavender cast a good Numbing Spell. I'll . . . I'll be fine."

One minute to go. O'Bannon couldn't keep his eyes off his watch. He clenched his teeth tighter with each tick of the second hand. He held his breath at ten seconds left.

Nine, eight, seven, six.

His heartbeat became deafening.

Five, four, three, two, one.

"Let's go." He had to force the words through his throat. After a deep inhale, he grabbed the brass handle, paused and pulled the door open. He checked left and right. All clear. He waved the others forward and headed into the hallway.

They reached the stairway, wands extended. O'Bannon concentrated, trying to tune out his rapid heartbeat and quicker-than-normal breathing. He strained to hear screams, pounding feet, any hint of commotion. He checked his watch. A minute had passed since they left the Room of Requirement.

_C'mon, c'mon._

Another minute went by. All remained quiet.

Tremors went up and down his legs. Did Fred, George and Lee fail? Were they all right? What would they do if . . .

"Hey!" Jared's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"

O'Bannon looked at him, then stood still, listening.

Faint screams echoed through the corridors. They grew louder with each passing second.

"Way to go, guys." He grinned, thinking of the twins and Lee.

"C'mon!" O'Bannon took off down the stairs, followed by the others.

They reached the sixth floor without incident. The fifth floor was another story. A herd of students rushed past them. Two small blue-skinned creatures with pointy faces and ear-piercing wails buzzed over the human stampede.

Cornish pixies. One chucked textbooks at the mob while the other pulled the robes over the heads of several students. Boys and girls ran, flailing their arms or covering their heads from flying books.

The quartet and Tonks hugged the wall, trying not to get caught up in the surge of humanity.

"Got one!" Tonks announced.

O'Bannon turned. An auror tried to work his way through the throng, aiming his wand at the pixies. Every time he tried for a shot, he got bumped into.

"_Stupefy!"_

A Stunning Spell leapt from Tonks' wand. It caught the auror in the face. He vanished in the wave of teens and pre-teens.

"All right." Tonks looked to them. "I'm off. I'll try to stun as many aurors as I can."

"Good luck," both Rosa and Jared said.

"You too."

"Hey." O'Bannon clutched Tonks' elbow. "Watch your ass out there."

"You watch your arse, too." Tonks gave him a wry grin. "It'd be a shame if something happened to an arse as cute as yours."

O'Bannon nearly choked on his own breath. He felt himself blush.

Tonks leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. With a parting wink, she headed off with the crowd.

He watched her go, his lips tingling with her kiss. _Please be careful. Please be careful._

"Jimmy!" Rosa slapped him on the shoulder.

He closed his eyes, trying to force all his worries and desire for Tonks out of his head. He was successful, for the most part.

They kept along the walls, doing their best to avoid the hordes of panicked students. Pixies darted through the air, chucking books and quills and moving portraits.

"Cowardly dogs!" A knight in one portrait screamed and waved his sword wildly as he was tossed among a pair of hovering pixies. "How dare you lay your hands on Sir Cadogan! Have at thee!"

They finally reached the corridor leading to Umbridge's office. Thankfully it was clear, though considering all the screaming and footfalls filtering through the corridors, O'Bannon doubted that would last long.

Just as they reached the intersection, the air shimmered in front of them. O'Bannon audibly gasped and brought up his wand.

He relaxed when Harry, Ron and Hermione appeared.

"Jeez, man!" Jared threw out his hands. "Give us a heart attack why don't you?"

"Sorry about that," Harry replied, holding the invisibility cloak in front of him.

"The guards still there?" Rosa nodded around the corner.

"Yeah," Ron answered. "But it's just one auror now. The other one has to be with Toadface. The two security trolls are still there."

"Then let's take care of them and contact the Order," O'Bannon said.

Harry handed him the invisibility cloak. Rosa took off her sneakers and transfigured them from black to canary yellow. She stood next to O'Bannon as he whipped the cloak around, covering them both.

"Don't get any ideas under here, Mister O'Bannon." Rosa pressed her shoulder against his and gave him a sly grin.

O'Bannon looked to her. Through all his anxiety, he somehow managed a soft chuckle. "Too late for that."

Rosa shot him an expression of feigned shock. "My, my. What would your Niffy Diffy Dora say to that?"

"Shut up." He smiled and shook his head. Moments later his face tightened in a mask of seriousness. "You ready to do this?"

"Born ready."

They tip-toed around the corner, peering through the semi-transparent cloak. O'Bannon swallowed at the sight before him.

It wasn't the first time he'd seen trolls. Rosa and Jared had taken him to explore some of the troll caves near their homes outside Millers Falls, Massachusetts. Still the huge creatures never failed to scare him. Twelve feet tall, lumpy bodies, legs the size of tree trunks and holding a huge friggin' club.

_We gotta be insane to take these things on._

O'Bannon took quick breaths, forcing his feet to move, to bring him closer to these ugly, smelly, violent behemoths.

The trolls moaned, swaying from side-to-side, looking like hunting dogs ready to be set free and chase foxes or pheasants.

"Settle! Settle!" The auror stood in front of them, arms up. "Stay here! Stay here!"

Realization burned through O'Bannon's fear. Realization that the auror had his back to them, his attention completely focused on controlling the security trolls.

"Let's get a little closer," he whispered to Rosa. "I want a sure shot at that auror."

Rosa nodded. They quietly stepped forward. When they got within ten feet of the auror, they halted. He turned to Rosa, and she to him. They both nodded.

O'Bannon threw the cloak off them. One of the trolls let out a surprised wail, its eyes locked on them.

The auror still didn't turn around.

"_Stupefy!"_

Two Stunning Spells nailed the auror in the back. The man flew off the floor, slammed into the wall and crumpled to the floor.

The trolls stared at the unconscious form, grunted and turned to O'Bannon and Rosa.

"Okay, Rosa. You're on."

Rosa swung her bright yellow shoes over her head. With her free hand she pointed at the trolls, her voice deep and ominous.

"Duwar! Duwar! Hecka lecka pecka! Caerbannog! Caerbannog!"

The trolls turned to one another, confused.

"Ptang! Ptang! Lupa lupa! Hooplah hooplah!"

The trolls grunted and lowered their heads, eyeballing Rosa.

"Bin bin! Chim Chim!" She swung her shoes faster and spoke quicker. "Roley-Poley!"

An icy shiver went through O'Bannon. His eyes flickered between the trolls and Rosa. _Why isn't this working?_

"BORKO RUKO!" Rosa screamed, jabbing her finger at the trolls.

The lead troll scowled. It opened its maw, releasing a deep roar. It took a step toward them, the footfall shaking the floor and O'Bannon's body. His mouth fell open as the troll roared again and raised its club.

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	17. Caught In The Tide

**CHAPTER 17: CAUGHT IN THE TIDE**

* * *

O'Bannon tackled Rosa. They both fell to the floor as the club slammed down scant feet from them. An ear-shattering crash split the air. Tremors raced through the entire corridor. O'Bannon gritted his teeth, fearing his entire body would shake apart. He looked up, still clinging to Rosa.

The troll glared down at them, teeth bared. It raised its club again. He and Rosa scooted away on their backsides.

Red stunner bolts struck the troll in its lumpy head. Its partner grunted and plodded over, only to get two stunners in the face. It roared and slapped a huge palm over its right eye.

O'Bannon helped Rosa to her feet. They hurried over to the others, who cast one Stunning Spell after another. Unlike humans, the trolls didn't go down. They just fixed their big angry eyes on O'Bannon and his friends.

"I told you waving those shoes around wouldn't work!" Hermione shouted at Rosa.

"Well it's always worked before."

"Didn't you hear what I said? Security trolls are trained not to be fooled by simple tricks like that."

"You know, now's not the time for an 'I told you so' argument!" O'Bannon snapped.

"Look out!" Harry warned.

O'Bannon whipped his head around. The lead troll raised its club and brought it down.

Everyone dove out of the way. The impact rocked the floor. O'Bannon rolled onto his back. The sneering trolls looked around, as if trying to figure out who to smash with their clubs.

"I bloody hate trolls!" Ron hollered.

The lead troll turned toward Ron. He looked up with wide eyes, the color draining from his face.

O'Bannon's chest clenched. His mind raced to think of any spell that could take down a troll.

The troll raised its club. Harry, Hermione and Jared bombarded it with Stunning Spells. The troll ignored them. Its eyes locked on a terrified Ron Weasley.

That's when O'Bannon looked past the troll to the large tapestry on the wall. Two witches hid behind a gnarled tree, both quaking.

_That'll work . . . I hope. _He raised his wand. _"Occido!"_

The tapestry fell away from the wall. The witches on it screamed as it covered the troll. It grunted in surprise, dropping its club. The creature swung its massive body to and fro. The second troll stared at its companion, unsure what to make of the scene.

The covered troll bellowed and flailed its arms. The tapestry began to slip from its bulbous frame.

O'Bannon swallowed. It wouldn't be long before the troll was free of the tapestry.

His eyes flickered between the trolls. Another idea formed. He wanted to discard it. Stupid didn't properly cover what he had in mind. There had to be a better way.

The troll pulled the tapestry halfway up its back.

O'Bannon had no time for a better idea.

"Rosa! Levitate me to head level with that troll."

"What?" Her eyes bulged. "Are you crazy?"

"Just do it!"

Rosa continued to stare at him without blinking.

"Now! Trust me!"

Hesitantly, she brought up her wand. _"Wingardium Leviosa!"_

O'Bannon tensed as he flew off the floor. His heart pounded furiously as he reached head level with the troll, still thrashing about, trying to get the tapestry off. It wouldn't be long before it succeeded.

_I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I'm doing this._

He rotated his body in mid-air and faced the other troll, who continued to stare dumbfounded at its distressed companion.

"Hey! Crap-for-brains!" O'Bannon spread out his arms. "Over here!"

"Jimmy!" Harry shouted. "What are you doing?"

He ignored him. "C'mon, you walking pile of toe-jam! Take your best shot!"

The troll grunted and canted its head.

_For piss sake, how stupid is this thing?_ He fired a stunner bolt, nailing the troll in its nose. It jerked and roared.

"C'mon, you ugly son-of-a-bitch! One free shot! Take it!"

The troll sneered. It reared back its club and howled in rage.

"ROSA! NOW!"

The troll swung its club.

O'Bannon hurtled to the floor. His body tightened in anticipation of a hard landing. A sickening thud of wood and flesh sounded above him.

"_Madidus Aeris!"_ Hermione hollered.

The air around O'Bannon thickened. His momentum stopped. He felt himself lying on an invisible cushion of air. Above him, the troll completed its swing. Its tapestry-covered companion stumbled to the side. Rosa scurried away before it slammed into the wall. The troll slid to the floor and lay unmoving, the tapestry wrapped around it.

The remaining troll gawked at its unconscious companion. O'Bannon rolled out of the soft air onto the floor and hurried away.

"Jimmy! C'mon!" Artimus beckoned him forward, Jared by his side.

O'Bannon pumped his legs. The troll roared. He looked over his shoulder and saw the creature start after him.

He'd just raced past Artimus and Jared when both his friends shouted, _"Freezium!"_

White bolts shot from their wands. A sheet of ice coated the floor around the troll. Its feet slipped out from under it. With a mighty bellow the troll fell on its back, the club slipping from its hand. It growled and rocked back and forth, trying to get up.

"I've got this." Ron stepped forward, wand raised. _"Wingardium Leviosa!"_

The club lifted off the floor and hovered over the troll. With a flick of the wand, Ron sent it crashing down on the troll's head. The creature spasmed, then lay still.

"Well, that certainly brings back memories, doesn't it, Hermione?" Ron turned to the bushy-haired girl.

"Yes." She frowned. "Not very pleasant ones, mind you."

Ron furrowed his brow. "Hey, if it wasn't for that troll we never would have become friends."

Rosa looked to Ron and Hermione, then to O'Bannon. "Oh, I gotta hear that story."

"Maybe later." Harry headed for Umbridge's office. "Right now we have to contact the Order."

O'Bannon followed him, pausing when he came to Artimus, Jared and Ron.

"Thanks, guys. Nice work."

"Um, yeah sure." Ron appeared surprised by the compliment. "No problem."

"Give some extra thanks to Art here." Jared draped an arm around Artimus' shoulder. "He's the one who thought of using a Freezing Spell to take down that troll."

"Good thinking, man."

"Thanks!" Artimus beamed, looking ready to explode with joy. "I just, you know, I thought that we had to get it off its feet, and turning the floor to ice seemed the best thing to do."

"Well, it worked."

Artimus' smile threatened to consume his face.

"Jimmy!" Harry called out from the door to Umbridge's office.

"Comin'." He gave Artimus a thumbs up before jogging over to Harry. The two gazed at the door.

"I assume it's locked," O'Bannon stated.

"That's not a problem." Harry reached under his robes and pulled out a knife.

"What are you gonna do? Stab the door to death?" O'Bannon cracked a half-smile.

"It's a gift from my godfather. This knife can open any door."

Harry inserted the blade into the keyhole and jiggled it. The door creaked open.

"Dude, your godfather rules." O'Bannon slapped Harry on the back.

They entered the office. O'Bannon took three steps inside before he stopped, mouth agape. He slowly rotated his head, taking in the décor. It looked nothing like an office belonging to a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Mister Tellmark back at Salem had photos from his days in the U.S. Auror's Bureau, tapestries of werewolves, vampires, Death Eaters and the notorious American dark wizard Hister, and glass cages containing snakes, scorpions and tarantulas.

But this . . . good God, he'd never seen so much pink in his life. Lacy cloths and doilies covered every shelf, window sill and piece of furniture. Ornamental plates hung from the wall, each one with a moving Technicolor kitten wearing a bow.

"Man, how can anyone spend more than three minutes in this place without puking?"

"It takes a lot of effort," Harry answered. "Trust me on that."

They made their way over to the fireplace. Harry took a pinch of Floo powder from a small box on the mantle and flicked it into the crackling fire. Green flames surged from the mouth of the fireplace.

"Twelve Grimmauld Place!" Harry said loudly and distinctly.

O'Bannon and Harry got on their knees and stuck their faces into the green flames. The world spun for several seconds. O'Bannon held his breath, waiting for the usual dizziness to stop. He stared out at a long wooden table in some kitchen. Footsteps echoed from the nearby hallway. Moments later a man with long unkempt dark hair appeared. He halted and gazed in their direction.

"Harry!" A smile creased his lips. "This is a pleasant surprise. Who's your friend?"

"Sirius, this is Jimmy O'Bannon. He's a friend from the States."

"Jimmy O'Bannon?" Sirius' eyes widened. He strode over to the fireplace and knelt in front of them.

"Hey." O'Bannon nodded to him. _So this is Harry's godfather. _When he'd agreed to help his British friends in the fight against Lord Voldemort, he'd been filled in on the real history regarding Sirius Black. Man, did he get a raw deal. Framed for betraying Harry's parents and murdering a bunch of Muggles. Stuck in Azkaban for twelve years. Still being hunted by the Ministry of Magic.

"Merlin's beard," Sirius continued. "Do you know you're probably the second most wanted man in Wizarding Britain? Me being the first, of course."

"Um, yeah, I kinda got that idea from all the aurors camped out at Hogwarts."

"Speaking of which, have you heard from Tonks? Moody told us she went up there when the Ministry learned you were in this country illegally."

"Tonks is fine," Harry said. "She and Jimmy and his friends have been trapped inside Hogwarts for the past couple days. Sirius, listen. Jimmy has some important information for the Order."

"What is it?"

Harry nodded to O'Bannon. He ran down everything about the Longathian Tunnel, the American Death Eaters and the dark creatures they wanted to bring to Britain to bolster Voldemort's forces, the Guild of the Light's efforts to find the tunnel and his mission to alert the Order of the Phoenix in case their counterparts in the States failed.

"Blimey," Sirius said breathlessly. "You-Know-Who could move against the Ministry faster than expected if he got those reinforcements. Any idea when they'll be here?"

"Maybe a few hours."

"A few hours!" Sirius blurted. "That doesn't give us a lot of time."

"I know. I'm sorry. We tried I don't know how many times to contact you guys. Every plan we had went tits up until we finally managed to break into Umbridge's office."

Sirius worked his jaw back and forth. "All right. If we're lucky, your Guild of the Light may have already stopped those reinforcements. If not . . . we should be able to get a message to Dumbledore. They're still keeping him at the Ministry for this bogus evaluation meeting. Kingsley Shacklebolt or Arthur Weasley should be able to contact him. Meantime, I'll have Lupin contact Moody. He can start gathering our forces to look for the Longathian Tunnel on our end. Don't worry, boys. We'll sort this out." He paused, his eyebrows scrunching together. "By the way. How did you get into Umbridge's office?"

O'Bannon recounted the pandemonium created by the Weasley twins and Lee and their battle with the security trolls.

"Hah! Smashing!" Sirius threw his head back in laughter. "James would have been proud of both of you."

A smile grew across Harry's face at the mention of his father.

Sirius looked to O'Bannon. "I wish we knew a Yank exchange student like you when we were at Hogwarts. The one we had was this arsehole from Virginia. Stuck up git, he was. Strutted around like he was the second coming of Merlin. James liked to heat up the wanker's underwear until he was running around screaming like a girl." He laughed and shook his head. "Ah, those were fun times."

"Sirius." Harry's expression stiffened.

"What? Oh yes. Time to save the Wizarding World. I'm on it, boys. You be careful. And Jimmy, thanks for the warning."

"You're welcome. Just wish I could have gotten it to you sooner."

"Don't worry. Those reinforcements from America won't set a foot on British soil if we have anything to say about it. Take care, both of you."

Sirius pulled his head back. He and the kitchen vanished, replaced by a swirl of green flames. Within moments they too disappeared. A wave of dizziness swept over O'Bannon. He closed his eyes and rubbed his head. When he opened his eyes, the nauseating pink furnishings of Umbridge's office returned around him.

_I did it._ He dropped back on his rear, shoulders sagging. He let out a sigh, staring at the fireplace. After all the failed attempts, the feelings of hopelessness, of inadequacy, he . . . they had really done it. They had alerted the Order of the Phoenix. A sting of panic pierced his chest. He prayed his warning didn't come too late.

_No. If they can tell Dumbledore about it, he'll take care of it. I mean, he's . . . well, he's Dumbledore._

Or maybe the Guild of the Light had already taken care of You-Know-Who's reinforcements.

Either way, he'd done his job.

He turned to Harry, a grin spreading across his face. "We did it, man. We did it!"

O'Bannon slapped his hand against Harry and squeezed it tight, shaking it back and forth.

"Yes we did. Now, what say we get you and your friends out of here?"

"Boy, you really know how to make a buddy feel wanted. 'Thanks for your help, now get the hell outta here.'"

Harry chuckled as they both got to their feet. They strode to the door, O'Bannon finally able to ignore the pink doilies and the kitten plates on the wall. He flung open the door and stepped into the hallway, wearing the widest smile possible. He gazed at his friends standing in the corridor among the unconscious auror and trolls.

"Well, gang. Mission accomplished. Good job."

"Yeah!" Jared high-fived Ron. Rosa wrapped her arms around Artimus' shoulders.

"I'm glad to hear it," Hermione said. "But we'd better get moving."

O'Bannon's brow furrowed. What the hell was her problem?

That's when he heard dozens of screams and pounding feet coming from around the corner, getting closer by the second.

"Once again, Hermione's right. Let's go."

O'Bannon led them away from the screams. He looked over his shoulder to make sure everyone was behind him.

A mass of black-robed boys and girls pounded around the corner, their screams echoing off the walls. Three small blue forms with wasp-like wings and pointed faces buzzed over them. Cornish pixies.

"C'mon!" O'Bannon shouted. He ran faster, checking behind him to make sure everyone kept up. They did. He looked forward as they approached another intersection. The screams became deafening. So long as they stayed ahead of this tide of humanity . . .

O'Bannon glanced behind him again.

A Cornish Pixie grabbed Rosa by the hair. She yelped and spun around, arms flailing.

"Rosa!" He yelled as the others darted past him into the middle of the intersection, stopping at the sound of his voice. Everyone spun around to see Rosa swatting at the pixie, sparks shooting out the end of her wand.

The horde of panicked students rushed closer to her.

"Rosa!" Jared started toward her. So did the others. The screaming overwhelmed O'Bannon's hearing. It sounded like it came from every direction.

He glimpsed movement out the corner of his eye. He turned and froze.

Another mass of frightened students charged at them from the corridor to his right.

Jared and the others turned a second later and spotted the second wave, also being set upon by Cornish Pixies. Bodies swarmed around them, running and pushing. O'Bannon kept his legs moving. If he stopped, he'd be knocked down and trampled. He tried to force his way through the wailing boys and girls. But the surging wall of flesh pushed him back. He craned his neck, looking back to the intersection. The first wave of panicked students had now merged with the second.

"Rosa!" He barely heard himself over the cacophony of shrieks. He desperately scanned for any sign of Rosa in the sea of humanity.

He couldn't find her.

"ROSA!"

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_Just a little factoid on the name I chose for the American dark wizard. Hister actually comes from one of Nostradamus' prophecies. His believers point to it as the prophecy that tells of the rise of Hitler, their logic being how close the names "Hister" and "Hitler" are, along with certain geographical locations mentioned in the quatrain. _


	18. A Fearful Encounter

**CHAPTER 18: A FEARFUL ENCOUNTER**

* * *

Rosa yelped as someone slammed into her side. She twisted around and collided with another student, and another.

"Jared! Jimmy! Art!" She kept calling their names, but could barely hear herself over the screams of the stampeding Hogwarts students around her. It seemed impossible her friends would hear her.

The crowd carried Rosa further down the corridor. She tried to force her way through the mass of bodies. Most of her effort, though, went to keeping her legs moving, to stay on her feet, to not fall and get trampled.

She whipped her head around, looking for a way out of this mob. They passed several doors. If she could just get into one of those rooms she could wait out the human stampede and double-back to rejoin Jared and the others.

A solid wall of bodies prevented her from reaching any of the doors.

The mob fled down a staircase. Someone slammed into her back. Fear gripped her as she stumbled forward . . . and right into the back of a blond girl. She clutched the girl's shoulder for a second, regained her balance and kept running.

They reached the bottom of the staircase. Rosa looked over her shoulder. How far was she from her friends?

A deep thud echoed through the corridor. The students screamed even louder. A dark mass blossomed near the mob. A black substance fell onto several boys and girls. And the smell! Rosa gagged until she nearly puked.

Someone had set off a dung bomb. Probably one of the D.A. members. All part of Fred and George's master plan of chaos.

The shrieking crowd split in two directions. Rosa saw a break in the human wave, and a door beyond it.

She darted for it.

A panicked student bumped into her. Rosa stumbled into another student and spun around.

_Don't fall. Don't fall._

She flailed, trying to keep her balance.

Rosa fell spread-eagled on the stone floor. Something struck her leg. She gritted her teeth and looked behind her. A pudgy boy had tripped over her.

Rosa lifted herself to all fours, trying to ignore the pain clutching her muscles. She scurried for the door and reached up for the handle. It turned. She pushed it open and crawled inside. Rows of desks greeted her. She leaned against a chair and stared outside at the fleeing students. The muffled explosion of another dung bomb reached her ears, followed immediately by panicked screams.

Three students rushed into the classroom. Two were boys, one thin with black hair, the other short and blond with puffy cheeks. The girl had a slender build and long blond hair. None of them looked older than fourteen. Rosa scanned their robes and spotted a blue and bronze crest with an eagle on each of them. Ravenclaw House.

_Thank Merlin for that. The last thing I need is to share this room with some damn Slytherins._

"Are you all right?" The short boy stared at her.

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

The girl's eyes bulged. "You're American?"

Rosa opened her mouth to answer. It remained open without a sound. _Oh crap!_

"Bugger!" blurted the thin Ravenclaw boy. "She must be one'a those mercenaries Jimmy O'Bannon brought with him."

"Oh you don't believe that rubbish, Cumhal, do you?" asked the girl.

"It's nay rubbish, Gwen. You heard everything Professor Umbridge said."

"Please. Everyone knows Umbridge is mental."

"Watch your mouth!" Cumhal scowled at Gwen, who seemed unimpressed. "_Professor _Umbridge is a fine woman. Me dad's worked with her at the Ministry. Says her loyalty to the Ministry is beyond reproach."

"She's beyond sane, is what."

More anger lines dug into Cumhal's face. "And I suppose you believe all of Potter's lies about You-Know-Who returning?"

Gwen bit her lip for a few moments. "Maybe I do."

Cumhal and Gwen continued to argue, while the other Ravenclaw boy stood silently in the background. Rosa checked the corridor. She saw no students running past the door.

"You know," she said to the Ravenclaws. "I have places to be, so I think I'll just leave you guys to your little argument. Have a blast."

Rosa made for the door.

Cumhal jumped in front of her. "Y-You're not going anywhere."

Rosa sighed. "Look, kid. I don't have time for this."

"Merlin's sake." Gwen rolled her eyes at Cumhal. "What are you on about?"

"She's wanted by the Ministry." He pointed at Rosa. "I-I bet if we capture her, we'd win loads of points for Ravenclaw. Maybe even get medals from the Ministry."

"You're daft," said Gwen. "You really believe she's a mercenary here to overthrow Minister Fudge?"

"That's what Professor Umbridge said."

"Look, Cumhal." Rosa held up a hand, speaking calmly. "Your friend here is right. I'm not a mercenary. In fact, me and Jimmy O'Bannon and our friends came here to help your country. So if you don't mind, I'm gonna go now."

"You're not going anywhere!" Cumhal went for his wand.

Rosa went for hers. With six years in the Salem Witches Institute Dueling Club and growing up in a family of aurors, she was much, _much _faster.

"_Expelliarmus!"_

Cumhal barely pulled his wand out of his robes when it flew from his hand and across the classroom. He gaped as it clattered off the wall and onto the floor. Slowly, he rotated his head back to Rosa. His body trembled.

"Puh-Please don't hurt me."

"Oh relax. I'm not gonna hurt you." Rosa breezed past him. When she reached the door frame, she turned back to the Ravenclaws. Cumhal gawked at her, still quaking. Gwen gazed at her in awe. The other boy tried to blend in with the wall.

"It's still nuts out there," Rosa told them. "If I were you, I'd stay here until things settled down. Got it?" She fixed her eyes on Cumhal. The unblinking boy nodded.

"Good luck." Gwen smiled at her.

Rosa returned the smile and left.

She scanned the corridor, wand raised. No sign of any people. The dark remains of dung bombs stained the floors, walls, suits of armor and tapestries. It also reeked, nearly as bad as the holes in the ground where trolls did their business.

Holding her breath, Rosa darted down the hallway and into another corridor. This one was also devoid of people. She halted and listened. Screams carried through the air, but none close by.

She chewed on her lower lip, wondering what to do next. Look for Jared, Jimmy and Artimus? Where could they be? Perhaps they were looking for her. In that case, they could run around this castle for hours without meeting up.

_I doubt we have hours to get out of here._

She considered heading to the Quidditch pitch. That was their ultimate destination anyway. Maybe the boys already decided to go there and wait for her.

_Would you?_

No, she wouldn't. If any one of them had been separated, she would look for them before leaving the castle. So they were probably searching for her right now. The best thing to do would be to hole up somewhere and wait, and hope they eventually came by.

_What if they get caught by aurors?_

Hopefully the pandemonium created by the D.A. kept the aurors too busy to search for Jared and the others. She also figured Tonks must have incapacitated some of them by now.

Rosa set off down the corridor, her eyes searching for a tapestry to hide behind. She'd wait there until Jared, Jimmy and Art showed up. Well, wait for a while. Then _she'd _go looking for them.

She turned the corner . . . and halted. Her body tightened. Her eyes went wide at the sight before her.

A Muggle jet airliner filled the corridor, just like the one she and her friends flew here on. Its cone-shaped nose pointed ominously at her.

_How is this possible?_

The nose vanished. Rosa found herself standing inside the airplane, rows of high-back seats on either side of her.

Everything shook.

She yelped and clutched the back of the nearest seat. Her chest constricted. Sweat burst across her forehead.

_Not again._ Rosa shut her eyes. _Please not again._

The shaking grew more violent. Rosa tightened her grip on the seat. An invisible hand grabbed her and tried to rip her from the seat.

She hated planes. She hated turbulence. A sob grew in her throat. The plane would shake itself to pieces. She would die.

_This isn't possible._ How could she go from the corridors of Hogwarts to the inside of a Muggle plane?

Realization stabbed through her panic.

_It's the boggart._ Fred and George said they'd release one from the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. That's all this was. An illusion. Her greatest fear brought to life by this damned creature.

_You know how to stop it._

Rosa loosened her grip on the seat.

A violent quake nearly threw her across the compartment.

She bearhugged the back of the seat. _Stop. Please stop._

You_ have to stop it,_ a harsh voice called out from the back of her fear-clouded mind.

She could do it. She'd defeated boggarts before in DADA class. The spell to defeat them wasn't that difficult.

So long as you suppressed your fear.

_How can I? I hate this plane. I hate turbulence. I'm gonna die here!_

_No you're not. You're in a hallway at Hogwarts. Not on a plane._

Rosa gripped her seat for dear life, fighting to stay on her feet.

_You can do it._

She didn't let go of the seat.

_How do you expect to be an auror if you can't beat a damn boggart?_

_Do it!_

Rosa gritted her teeth. With a grunt she pushed herself away from the seat.

_It's an illusion. It's all an illusion._

The world around her shook. Tremors raced throughout her body. She stumbled back and forth. Her right hand dug into the top of the seat next to her.

_I can do this._

She raised her wand. The image she wanted formed in her mind.

"_Riddikulus!"_

The seats vanished. The shaking stopped. The Muggle airplane shrank to the size of a broom, its wings and body made from fat balloons that shifted color from pink to yellow. The nose sported a huge toothy grin. Along the side were the words DUMB DUMB AIRLINES.

Rosa forced herself to laugh.

The balloon plane turned around and shot down the corridor, vanishing from sight.

"Screw you!" Rosa shouted at the departed boggart. "Go annoy some aurors."

She wiped her sweaty brow and sucked down a couple deep breaths. Composed, she scanned the corridor, looking for a hiding place. She prayed Jared, Jimmy and Artimus came this way. The sooner they got out of . . .

Something clicked behind her. A footstep.

Rosa started to turn.

A wooden rod dug into her back.

"Don't move."

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	19. When Serpents Strike

**CHAPTER 19: WHEN SERPENTS STRIKE**

* * *

_I can't believe I'm going to do this._

Angelina Johnson's jaw stiffened as she stood on the steps, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell on either side of her. She ignored the students darting out of the castle and across the school grounds. Her eyes instead fixed on two men, one round with curled graying hair and the other tall with sharp, hawkish features that gave him a creepy air. Her stomach gave a little lurch when she thought about her plan. It sounded so good back at the Room of Requirement. But now that it was about to be executed, now that she would have to act in a way so contrary to her personality.

_You're doing it for Jimmy. Hell, you're doing it for your country._

She pressed her shoulderblades together and glanced at her two best friends. "Let's do this."

The three bolted down the steps and toward the two aurors. Both men whipped their heads around, watching students fleeing across the grounds.

_Here goes._ "Help! Help us! Please help!" Angelina almost didn't recognize her own voice, so filled with fear and desperation, two emotions she rarely, if ever, exhibited.

"Here now!" The fat old auror stepped forward. "What's going on?"

"Please! You have to do something. They're all over the place."

The auror canted his head. "What's all over the place?"

"Cornish Pixies, boggarts." Alicia added a slight quiver to her voice. "They got out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. They're all over the place, attacking students."

"Do something, please! You have to stop them!" Katie laid on the helpless damsel act a bit thick. Of course, subtlety had never been one of her strong points.

The creepy auror turned to his fatter companion. "I bet this is that Yank O'Bannon's doing. I never believed he left Hogwarts. Come on!" He started for the castle.

"Hang on, Blivet. We have orders to guard the school grounds. There are enough aurors inside the school to handle this."

"No, please!" Alicia clasped her hands together. "They're all over the place! You have to do something!"

"I'm sorry, young lady. But we have our orders. The aurors inside the school are more than capable of handling pixies and boggarts."

Angelina bit her lip. _Think. Think!_ "But . . . but we saw some aurors lying on the floor. What if they've all been knocked out?"

"Impossible!" The fat auror looked offended by what she said.

Angelina's insides twisted. She really, _really_ wished she didn't have to resort to this.

"Please." She slid up to the auror, inches separating her from the man's bulky frame. She bent her knees so she could look up at him with pleading eyes. At least, she hoped her eyes conveyed that. "Please, I'm so scared." Angelina had to fight to keep herself from wincing at that statement. "My . . . my little sister's in there. What if those things got her? I'll . . . I could never . . ." She held her breath and reached out to gently grasp the auror's wrist. "Please help."

The man's fleshy face trembled for a second. Angelina watched his eyes flicker up and down her tall, athletic body.

"Come on, Klim. We need to help these poor girls." Blivet drew out the last two words. Angelina glanced over at him. His eyes shifted between her, Alicia and Katie, lingering over each of them. A chill went up her spine and down into her stomach.

"But our orders." Klim's eyes stayed on Angelina. She canted her head, her jaw trembling. She gave Klim's wrist a squeeze.

"Stuff our orders. The others might need help."

"Then . . . then they would have sent word."

"What if they couldn't? What if some other things got loose from the DADA classroom? Who the hell knows what they have in there."

Angelina took two quick breaths, trying to sound like she was about to cry. "Please. My sister. My baby sister's in there."

Klim stiffened, his eyes holding onto Angelina's face, before moving up and down her body again. Long seconds later, the fat man's shoulders sagged.

"All right. We'll pull Punbrush, Leiter, Tasgowe and Leavitt off the grounds and head into the castle."

"On it." Blivet conjured a lizard patronus, which shot across the lawn to alert the other aurors.

"You girls stay here. Everything will be all right." Klim forced a smile.

"Thank you so much." Angelina shot him the warmest smile she could.

With a nod, Klim set off toward the castle, followed by Blivet, who gave each girl a parting, lingering stare. Seconds later two aurors on brooms appeared, flying toward the castle. Two others headed that way on foot.

"Ugh!" Katie shivered violently. "Did you see the way that Blivet creep looked at us? I feel like I need a shower. Maybe two."

"What about me?" Angelina tapped her chest. "I actually had to _touch_ that Klim bloke. I think I'm going to be in his dreams tonight. Blimey, he has to be old enough to be my grandfather."

"Oh well, at least you played the damsel in distress part quite well." A wide grin spread across Alicia's face.

"Shut up." Angelina scowled at her.

"C'mon, Ang," said Katie. "You're little act got rid of six aurors. That should make things easier for Jimmy and his friends when they get out of the castle."

Angelina grunted and stalked off in the direction of the Quidditch pitch. "Let's just get those brooms."

She didn't even check to see if Alicia and Katie followed. She just thought about her "helpless" act and how those aurors would always associate it with her. "Helpless" and "Angelina Johnson" did not bloody go together. She didn't care if it had been an act and for a good cause. She did not like to appear vulnerable in front of anyone.

_You owe me big time for this, O'Bannon._ Maybe something along the lines of a half-hour foot massage . . . or maybe a full-body massage. She couldn't help that thought. Jimmy might be _just _a friend, but he was a rather fit friend.

She closed her eyes briefly as they neared the pitch, hoping Jimmy and the other Yanks were all right.

**XXXXX**

"Drop your wand."

Rosa clenched her teeth. Anger surged through her. Anger at herself.

_Stupid!_ She'd been so involved with that damn boggart she hadn't bothered to check around for other threats when she finished with it. That was basic auror stuff.

"I said drop it!" The female voice behind her demanded. She scowled when the unknown girl's wand pressed deeper into her back.

Rosa released her wand. It clattered to the floor.

"Turn around."

Hands raised, Rosa slowly turned to face her captor. The girl was a couple inches shorter than her with black hair cut above the shoulders and a pug face.

"If you're trying to sneak around without getting caught, it doesn't help to go yelling at the top of your lungs in an American accent." The girl stepped back, her wand aimed at Rosa's chest. "Let me guess? You're a friend of Jimmy O'Bannon's. And here I hoped we were well rid of that damn Mudblood."

"Go suck crap." Rosa narrowed her eyes. That's when she noticed a badge with a large letter P clipped to the girl's robes. She'd seen similar badges worn by Ron and Hermione. Prefect badges. But while theirs were red and gold with a lion superimposed over the P, this girl's badge gleamed green and silver and bore a serpent insignia.

Slytherin House.

The badge also sported a name. P. PARKINSON.

The corners of Rosa's mouth twisted. She knew that name from Jimmy's stories of his year at Hogwarts. Pansy Parkinson. First-Class Slytherin bitch and the girlfriend of none other than . . .

Something moved down the corridor behind Pansy. Rosa glanced up and saw three robed figures approaching them. Two resembled human gorillas. The other was tall with pale blond hair and a pointed face. She had never met these boys before, but recognized them instantly.

Crabbe and Goyle looked exactly the way Jimmy described them. "Big, dumb, ugly, and did I mention dumb?" Jimmy had also been right about the boy they flanked. Draco Malfoy did resemble a human ferret.

"Good work, Pansy," Malfoy said.

"Thank you, Draco." Pansy grinned as she briefly turned to her boyfriend.

Rosa took her eyes off Malfoy and his two thugs and looked back at Pansy. She'd already refocused on her, wand at the ready.

"Rosa Infante, I presume? I'm Draco Malfoy." His voice carried an air of self-importance. "Slytherin prefect. You do realize you are trespassing on school grounds. Of course, that's nothing compared to plotting to overthrow the Ministry of Magic."

"Wow. Jimmy was right about you, Malfoy." Rosa kept her eyes on Pansy. "You are a prick."

"Let's see if you have any cheeky comments when your Mudblood-loving arse is rotting in Azkaban."

"Yeah, I'm really scared." She judged the distance between her and Pansy. About four feet. She could do it. She just had to wait for the opportunity.

"You should be," Malfoy told her.

Rosa gazed into Pansy's eyes. _C'mon. C'mon._

"Where are O'Bannon and his blood traitor friends?" Malfoy demanded.

Rosa continued to stare at Pansy.

"I asked you a question! Where is Jimmy O'Bannon?"

"Go to hell."

"Fine! Come on, Pansy. We're taking her to Professor Umbridge's office." Malfoy's hand clasped Pansy's shoulder. "You should be proud. Think of all the points you've earned our house. Think of all the rewards Minister Fudge will give us for capturing this hag."

Pansy's chest heaved with a deep, prideful breath. "You should have seen how easy it was to get her." She turned her head halfway toward her prick boyfriend.

Rosa had her opportunity.

She lunged at Pansy. One hand wrapped around her wand hand and jerked it toward the floor. With her other hand Rosa clutched Pansy's robes and spun her away from Malfoy and his baboons. The Slytherin girl shrieked.

"Pansy!" Malfoy yelled.

Rosa spun Pansy again. She growled and twisted the Slytherin girl's wrist. Pansy screamed even louder. Her wand fell from her hand.

"_Petrificus Totalus!"_

A Body-Bind Curse sizzled past them.

"No, you idiot!" Malfoy grabbed Crabbe's wand arm and pulled it down. "You'll hit Pansy!"

Rosa yanked Pansy to the left, putting the girl between her and the Slytherin boys. If she could move down the corridor using Pansy as a human shield . . . wait! Crap, she needed a wand. She wouldn't get far without . . .

Pansy howled and lashed out with her free hand. Her nails dug into Rosa's left cheek and down her neck. Skin ripped open. Blood trickled from the stinging wounds. Rosa bellowed and glared at Pansy. The bitch cackled evilly.

Rosa shook with rage. She grabbed Pansy by the throat. The girl's laughter immediately ceased. Her eyes widened in fear. With a roar, Rosa swung Pansy like a rag doll and slammed her against the stone wall. Her body went limp. Rosa released her grip on Pansy's throat. The girl sputtered and sank to the floor.

Two massive arms wrapped around Rosa, pinning her arms. She thrashed about, unable to break the vice-like grip. Teeth bared, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Crabbe's dull, unsmiling face.

"Pansy! Pansy, are you all right?" Malfoy dropped to a knee next to his girlfriend, distress evident on his face.

Pansy coughed and massaged her throat. "I'm . . . I'm all right," she spoke in a raspy voice. "She tried . . . tried to kill me. Mad bitch."

Malfoy whipped his head toward Rosa, his eyes blazing. He shot to his feet. "Filthy Mudblood-loving slag! I'll make you pay for this!"

Malfoy extended his wand and stomped toward her. She stopped struggling as the tip of the wand hovered near her bloody cheek.

"_Sal Aqua!"_

Salt water sprayed from Malfoy's wand onto Rosa's cuts. Fiery needles stabbed deep into her cheek and spread across her face. She gritted her teeth and held back a cry. No way would she give these bastards the satisfaction.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle all laughed. Pansy tried to, but wound up coughing.

"That's tame compared to what else I have in store for you."

Rosa glared at Malfoy's sneering, ferrety face. The prick waved his wand in front of her face. She tried to lunge at him, but couldn't break Crabbe's hold. Malfoy cackled and stepped closer.

"Go ahead and struggle. As if a little tart like you could break free of Crabbe." He leaned forward, his face inches from hers. His mouth opened wide, producing a loud, mocking laugh.

Rosa's breathing quickened. She bared her teeth. Malfoy kept laughing. Merlin's beard, his face was so close. If she could use her hands she'd rip out this slime-sucking bastard's eyes and stuff them down his damn throat until they came out his ass.

Unfortunately, she couldn't use her hands.

Her legs, however . . .

With a primal roar, Rosa kicked with her right leg. Her toe rammed into Malfoy's balls. The prick gasped, his eyes about to pop out of his head. With a high-pitched wail he sank to the floor, holding his nutsack.

"Draco!" Pansy cried out.

Malfoy curled up in a fetal position, on the verge of sobbing.

Rosa ignored the prick's agony and snapped her head back. Her skull cracked against Crabbe's face. The world spun. She felt herself stumble forward. She turned back as the world came back into focus. Crabbe stomped around, his hands over his mouth, blood flowing through his fingers.

_Wand. I need a wand._ She scanned the floor until she found her wand a few feet away.

A shadow loomed over her. Rosa looked up in time to see Goyle's hand lash out. Fire exploded across her cheek. Pain tore through her head. Blackness fell over her eyes. Light returned a moment later. Light in the form of stars. Literal stars. She suddenly realized she was lying on her side instead of standing. Groaning, she started to push herself up.

Pansy appeared in front of her. The bitch's foot lashed out. She felt and heard a crunch of bone and flesh. A blazing spear of pain sliced deep into her brain. Rosa grunted and rolled on her back, covering her shattered nose. Blood dampened her hands and flowed down her cheeks.

"Not so pretty now, are you?" Pansy's words sounded distorted. The world went in and out of focus. Rosa grimaced as the coppery taste of blood settled in her mouth. Pain stabbed every inch of her face.

Out the corner of her blurry eye, she saw someone stagger to their feet, helped by Goyle. It was Malfoy. He stood doubled over, hand over his crotch. He glared down at her, his teeth exposed, flaring with anger. Spittle flew from the corners of his mouths as his breaths grew in intensity.

"How dare you kick me in . . . You disgusting pile of filth! Do you know who I am! Do you think you can do . . . _that_ to me and get away with it?"

Malfoy straightened up a little, still covering his balls. "Oh, I'm taking you to Professor Umbridge's office, all right. And I'll make sure I'm there to see it when they throw you into a cell at Azkaban. But first, I'm going to have a little fun."

He aimed his wand at Rosa. "You know, I've always wanted to try a Cruciatus Curse."

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_The names of the two aurors in this chapter, Klim and Blivet, are derived from actual slang words from the Second World War. "Klim" was the nickname soldiers gave to powdered milk, and is nothing more than "milk" spelled backwards. "Blivet" is a personal favorite of mine. It was coined by General Eisenhower and basically means trying to stuff two pounds of crap into a one-pound bag._


	20. Free and Clear?

**CHAPTER 20: FREE AND CLEAR?**

* * *

Rosa stiffened. Her eyes locked on the tip of Draco Malfoy's wand. Fear enveloped her. Had she heard right? The Cruciatus Curse? She couldn't breathe, thinking of all the stories she'd heard about it in DADA class and from her family.

"It's like your body's being turned inside out, shredded by burning knives and crushed all at the same time." That's how Dad described it. He would know. He got hit with it three times during the Big War.

Rosa's throat constricted. She couldn't let that happen to her. She had to fight. But her skull pounded. The world around her kept going in and out of focus. What kind of fight could she put up in that condition?

She braced herself, praying she wouldn't scream.

"_Cru-"_

Flashes of red burst around her. Crabbe spun around and toppled to the floor. Goyle and Pansy joined him a second later. Malfoy gasped, his arms flailing. Rosa jerked as the boy landed right on her stomach. The air shot out her mouth. She laid back and wheezed, trying to fill her empty lungs. Malfoy's dead weight pressed down on her. She couldn't breathe.

Footsteps pounded around her. A stocky boy with dark curly hair bent over her, grabbed the back of Malfoy's robes and flung him aside.

"Rosa! Merlin's beard, Rosa! Are you all right?"

The boy lifted her to a sitting position. Rosa blinked. A face came into focus. The face of her cousin, Jared Diaz.

She wrapped her arms around him.

"What the hell did these bastards do to you?" Jared examined her, his face contorting in anger.

"Don't worry about it." She shook her head. "I gave as good as I got."

"I'd believe that," a familiar British voice spoke.

Rosa glanced up. She swallowed, wincing as saliva mixed with some blood slid down her throat. George Weasley stood over her. He smiled, but Rosa noticed a swirl of emotion in his very beautiful brown eyes. Concern mixed with fury.

"How did you find me?" she asked as both Jared and George helped her to her feet.

"Thank Harry for that." Jared nodded over his shoulder.

Rosa spotted Harry Potter a few feet away, along with Ron, Hermione, Fred and Lee. Elation swept over her when she also saw Jimmy and Artimus with the Brits.

"You should see the map he has." Jared gazed at Harry. "The thing shows where everyone at Hogwarts is at any given moment. We used it to track you down after we got separated."

"Got here in the nick of time, too, by the look of it." George directed a warm smile at her and placed a gentle hand on her back. Rosa's insides quivered. A bolt of distress shot through her. She thought about her smashed nose and the blood staining her face. No doubt she had bruises and welts to go along with it.

She turned away from George. Merlin, she did not want him to see her in this state.

"Good God, Rosa." Hermione gaped. "What happened?"

"Forget about it," she grumbled. "I've gotten hurt worse playing hockey. Besides, you should be proud of me. I made sure that prick Malfoy will never reproduce."

"Jeez, what sort of curse do you know that can do that?" asked Lee Jordan.

"Curse, hell. I kicked him in the family jewels."

The Weasley twins and Lee howled with laughter. Huge smiles formed on Jimmy's and Harry's faces.

"Bloody hell." Ron stared at her in awe. "You're my new hero, Rosa."

"Thanks. Now, nothing against you guys," she eyed the Brits, "but I think we need to get the hell out of here."

"Right. Let's see if I can find a way out." Harry removed a piece of parchment from under his robes and unfurled it. Rosa sidled next to him and studied it. She cranked an eyebrow when she read the heading.

MESSRS. MOONY, WORMTAIL, PADFOOT AND PRONGS, PURVEYORS OF AIDS TO MAGICAL MISCHIEF-MAKERS, ARE PROUD TO PRESENT THE MARAUDERS MAP.

The map showed a detailed diagram of the school and its grounds, with little ink dots and names next to them. Currently a mass of ink dots swarmed through the first and second floors.

"Oh, this thing is too cool," she said.

"Thanks," Harry replied.

"Doesn't look like it'll be easy getting to the main doors and outside." Jimmy frowned.

"Don't despair, Jimmy Boy." Fred slapped him on the shoulder. "There are other ways to leave the castle besides through the front door."

"You mean another secret passage?" inquired Artimus.

"No, this one's not so secret." Fred waved his hand. "Follow me."

He led them down the corridor and into an empty classroom. He strode to one of the windows and opened it.

"There we go. Just leap out the window and you're home free."

"But we're on the third floor," Artimus blurted, his eyes widening.

"Well it's a good thing we're wizards, then." George put an arm around Artimus. "We can conjure a Cushioning Charm below so you won't have to worry about breaking your legs or skull or bum."

"Let's do it." Jimmy headed over to the window. The others followed.

Fred held his wand out the window and cast the charm.

"You're first, Rosa."

She nodded and took a step forward before stopping. She turned around and faced the Brits. "Bye, guys. It was nice meeting you all. Thanks for everything. Good luck, and be careful."

"Same to you, Rosa." Harry nodded to her.

"Bye, Rosa," said Hermione.

"If we ever have another problem with Malfoy, we'll give you a call."

"Thanks, Ron," she chuckled.

She then looked to George. Their eyes locked. He kept his smile, but some of its usual brightness faded. She studied every contour of George's clear, freckled face, framed by his long bright red hair. A tremor went through her stomach and down her knees. The urge to kiss him swelled within her. Lips or cheek, she debated. _Hell, lips. Why not?_

She would have done it had her face not been covered by blood from her busted, throbbing nose. Blood she would no doubt get on George's lips if she kissed him. Did she really want to leave him with that kind of memory?

"See you around, sexy." She grinned and winked at him . . . and winced as pain from those gestures tore through her face. Hell, she didn't even sound sexy saying it, not with the dull, nasally tone that came with her broken nose.

Rosa groaned and stalked away. _Nice parting memory to give him, you idiot._

She bid Fred good-bye as he helped her onto the window sill. She took a quick glance back at George and paused. The lanky redhead stared at her in shock, pleasant shock. His cheeks turned the same color as his hair. Slowly, a big smile spread across his face.

Rosa smiled back, ignoring the pain stabbing at her face. With another wink at George, she turned back around and jumped out the window.

She relaxed her body just before she landed on the soft bubble of air. Rosa quickly slid off, making way for Artimus, Jared and Jimmy.

"Let's go!" Jimmy immediately took off for the Quidditch field.

"What about Tonks?" Rosa asked him.

"We checked the Marauders map. She's already on her way to the pitch."

Rosa nodded and scanned the grounds. Several students darted across the lawn. She kept an eye out for aurors, but saw none.

"Did that map show where the aurors are?"

"Yeah!" Jimmy looked over his shoulder at her. "Most of the ones who were patrolling outside went into the castle. I guess whatever plan Angelina and them had in mind worked."

"Hah!" Jared chortled. "Imagine that. Something actually went our way."

All of them were huffing as the Quidditch field came into view. Artimus developed a noticeable limp, his face straining. The Numbing Spell Lavender Brown put on his knee had to be wearing off, especially with all the running they'd been doing.

"Hang on, Art!" she called to him. "We're almost there."

Artimus just tightened his face and gave her a determined look.

They spotted Tonks near the Gryffindor stands.

"You okay?" Jimmy asked as he pulled up in front of her.

"Yeah. Fine. I managed to knock out six aurors before heading over here."

Jimmy sucked down a breath, smiling wide. "I said it last night and I'll say it again. You're awesome, Tonks."

"Thanks." She gave him a wry grin and tapped him on the upper arm. "Now let's pick up our brooms and get out of here."

They ducked under the Gryffindor stands. Rosa spotted five brooms, three Nimbus 1700s and two Cleansweep Fives. Rosa grabbed one of the Nimbuses, as did Tonks and Jared. Jimmy and Artimus settled for the Cleansweeps.

The five hurried out from the under the stands, mounted their brooms and kicked off. Wind whipped past Rosa, blowing her hair in all directions. She gripped the handle tight and banked left, flying higher as she followed Tonks and the others over the school. She gazed around, taken by the sunlight sparkling off the huge lake, the rising spires of the castle, the vast expanse of forest beyond the school. Merlin's beard, this place was beautiful.

They shot over the wall. A little chill went up Rosa's spine. She glanced down and saw two dark, robed figures staring up at her. Something clutched her insides and pulled them down into the pit of her stomach. Why was she so depressed?

She, of course, knew the answer. The creatures below were Dementors. Their mere presence filled people with despair.

"Whatever you're feeling, ignore it!" Tonks shouted. "It's the Dementors! We'll be clear of them soon enough! You'll be fine!"

By the time they reached Hogsmeade, all the feelings of despair left Rosa. She took a deep breath as the wind pelted her.

"We did it, man!" Jared pumped a fist in triumph.

"Not quite." Tonks flicked her wand in front of her, producing a swirling bubble of colors. A band of green curled around the sphere, flashing intensely. "We're not out of it yet. That Anti-Apparation field is still up."

"Whatever." Jared gave her a dismissive wave. "Another few miles we'll be past it. Then we'll be free and clear."

Rosa smiled and straightened up on her Nimbus. How many times over the past couple days had she thought she'd never get out of Hogwarts, that she'd wind up in Azkaban and never see her family again? So many things had gone wrong during this mission. But in the end, it all worked out. They had alerted the Order of the Phoenix, they made it out of Hogwarts, and they'd soon be able to Apparate to Tonks' parents' home. Once there they could . . .

The red bolt of a Stunning Spell shot past them.

"What the hell?" Jimmy whipped his head around. So did Rosa. Her eyes widened when she saw three wizards on brooms behind them. Three more flew up from Hogsmeade and joined them.

_Oh crap._ Aurors. They had to be. While D.A. succeeded in occupying the ones at Hogwarts, the ones in Hogsmeade remained alert as ever.

Rosa tensed as the aurors cast a volley of spells at them.

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	21. The Measure Of A Man

**CHAPTER 21: THE MEASURE OF A MAN**

* * *

O'Bannon tensed, holding his breath as two spells shot past him.

"Evasive maneuvers!" Tonks shouted.

Everyone jerked their brooms left or right. A stunner bolt missed him by a foot. Artimus jinked left just in time to avoid another stunner.

"Dammit, no!" O'Bannon clenched his broom handle and banked sharply. He wanted to hit something, scream at the top of his lungs. They'd accomplished their mission. They only had a few miles to cover before they could Apparate to safety. Now they had to deal with more aurors? Hadn't they taken care of these bastards at Hogwarts?

_Yeah, we did. We just never thought about any aurors stationed in Hogsmeade._

Another spell shot over him, so close it made the back of his neck tingle. O'Bannon dipped, banked left, then right. The others also flew in erratic patterns, trying to throw off the aurors' aim. Tonks and Jared fired off occasional spells. Rosa appeared to have problems conjuring her spells. No doubt her broken nose prevented her from properly uttering the incantations.

O'Bannon cast a couple Stunning Spells. He didn't come close to hitting anyone. The aurors bored in on them, flying in a V formation. Spells streaked around him and his friends. They kept jinking to avoid getting hit.

The aurors gained on them. O'Bannon kicked up his speed. He dove left to avoid a spell.

The aurors drew closer.

O'Bannon fired off another stunner. It missed. His eyes flickered between the aurors and his friends. Less than sixty yards separated them.

He scowled. The aurors certainly had faster brooms than they did. Also, while their twisting maneuvers prevented them from being hit, it also cut down on their speed.

How many miles did they have to go before they cleared the Anti-Apparation field? Did they have a chance to make it?

O'Bannon glanced over his shoulder. The aurors were now fifty yards away and closing.

_We're not gonna make it._

_No!_ This couldn't happen. They'd overcome so much already. They succeeded in warning the Order of the Phoenix about the Longathian Tunnel. They'd broken out of Hogwarts. This was the start of their journey home.

They can't get captured now!

_What can we do? Think, dammit!_

O'Bannon cast another Stunning Spell and missed. He looked around at his friends. They also missed with their spells. How the hell could they hit anything with all their violent turns?

The aurors were now forty yards away.

He lowered his head. They wouldn't make it.

_Or maybe . . ._

An idea formed. An idea that caused him to shiver. How the hell could he do this? He didn't want to wind up in Azkaban. He didn't want the Dementors to turn him into a shell of a human being.

O'Bannon took quick glances at the others. Rosa, Jared, Artimus, Tonks. In a flash he imagined all of them in Azkaban, Dementors sucking out their emotions, their very beings. The thought turned his stomach to lead. He didn't want to imagine his three best friends, friends who'd become like family, tormented by those monsters. And Tonks. He recalled her smiles, her laughs, the feel of her body against his when they made love.

He certainly didn't want her to endure the horrors of Azkaban.

He _wouldn't _let any of them endure it.

O'Bannon banked toward Tonks. He waved to get her attention.

"Tonks! I have an idea to buy us some time!"

"What is it?"

O'Bannon tightened his lips. Part of him wanted to tell her, knowing she would call his plan insane and talk him out of it.

For that reason, he kept it to himself.

"Just trust me. I'll delay them. You guys keep going. I'll join up with you later."

"What are you talking about? How can you delay -"

A Stunning Spell flashed over their heads.

"Tonks, just do it!"

"I'm not leaving you to face six aurors."

O'Bannon glanced over his shoulder. The aurors were nearly thirty yards from them.

"If I don't do something, we'll _all_ wind up in Azkaban. You told me what made me qualified to lead this group. Well as leader I'm telling you _I _will delay them! _You _make sure the others keep going and don't come back for me. I'll catch up to you. Got it?"

Tonks scowled at him.

A spell flashed by them.

Jaw stiffening, Tonks gave him a curt nod.

O'Bannon nodded back. He looked behind him and noted the aurors' formation. Drawing a deep breath, he drifted away from Tonks.

"Good luck," she called out.

He whipped his head toward her. "You just keep everyone going!"

Sweat coated his palms. My God, was he really going to do this? To hell with Azkaban, he could get himself killed! The faces of his parents materialized in his mind's eye, joined by Rosa, Jared and Artimus. He glanced at his three friends. If he only had time to say good-bye, to tell them how much they meant to him.

_You'll see them again._

O'Bannon had a hard time believing that.

He dodged another spell and took one last look back at the aurors. He turned forward, staring at his hands as they flexed around the broom handle.

_Do it before you lose your nerve._

He kept flying straight.

_Do it for your friends!_

O'Bannon closed his eyes and yanked back on the handle. The Braking Charm activated. His eyes snapped open. Tonks and the others flew on. Rosa and Jared looked back and appeared ready to swing around. Tonks waved for them to continue.

_Thank you, Tonks. I –_

"Look out!" shouted one of the aurors.

A sledgehammer blow struck O'Bannon in the back. He opened his mouth to cry. Instead all the air exploded from his lungs. The world spun. He caught glimpses of a broom spiraling and a man falling. Another auror used his wand to slow the man's momentum.

A second blow rocked O'Bannon. Robes flapped around him. He rolled end over end, watching an auror flailing, his legs wrapped around an out-of-control broom. Two more aurors collided in mid-air. One tumbled off his broom.

O'Bannon squeezed his legs tighter around his broom. Something crushed his left wrist. He went round and round in a flat spin. He yanked the broom handle the opposite way.

It snapped.

"Shit!" He tossed away the useless piece of wood. Had the tip been damaged in his collision with the aurors?

He didn't have time to dwell on it. He grabbed the splintered end of the broom. Stinging bolts of pain shot up his left arm as he closed his fingers. He groaned and fought to right his broom. The sky became a rapid vortex of blue and white

The spinning slowed. But the broom dipped and jerked erratically. Dizziness enveloped O'Bannon. A wave of nausea swept through him. He tried to fight it off and control his damaged broom.

Trees suddenly appeared before him. A distorted mass of them. Which way should he turn? Left or . . .

An explosive jolt ripped through his body. A deafening crack filled the air. He first thought it was a branch breaking. Then white hot blades of pain tore into his shoulder. O'Bannon let out a piercing wail. He kept screaming until he crashed into the ground. He flew off his broom and tumbled across the ground. Pain hammered his shoulder, burrowing deep into his bones, into his very soul. He rolled to a stop on his back, opened his mouth and cried. Tears streamed down his face. He reached over to grasp his left shoulder.

An invisible force crushed his bones.

He howled until his throat burned.

The dizziness subsided. He alternated between breathing and crying. He'd been hurt before. Got his ankle broken in the Triad/Slytherin hockey game last year. Had a shard of ice imbedded in his leg during the battle in Ovenderburg.

They both felt like paper cuts compared to this.

He continued to lay on the ground, praying the pain would go away, wishing Mom was here. She'd take care of him. That's what moms do. She'd make it better.

_Get help. Gotta get help._

He couldn't stay here, not in this condition. How far was he from Hogsmeade? Which direction was it?

_Gotta move. Gotta move._

He drew several deep breaths, fighting the pain that ravaged his left shoulder. He rolled on his right side, clenching his teeth. The crushing and stabbing spread throughout his body. O'Bannon cried out again. He leaned on his right arm. That seemed stable enough.

Eyes shut tight, he slowly lifted himself to a sitting position. His left side felt drenched. Not by water, but by something wet and sticky. Something also burned through his upper arm.

O'Bannon rose to his feet . . . and crumpled to the ground. His left knee twisted and burned.

_Oh God. What am I gonna do?_

_Move. Crawl. Don't quit. Don't quit, dammit!_

He dug his right fingers into the dirt, groaned and pulled himself forward. He did it again, and again. Dizziness swept through him. He dragged himself forward another few inches. His breathing quickened.

"Over here!"

O'Bannon froze when he heard the voice. Someone else was here. Someone who could help him.

"Help." The word came out of his mouth strained. "Help."

Three robed men darted through the woods, wands extended. A horrid realization filled O'Bannon.

The men were aurors. Probably some of the ones that had pursued him and his friends.

He pushed himself across the ground, pain lashing his body. He grunted and yelped as he pulled himself behind the closest tree.

"Give yourself up! You won't be harmed!"

O'Bannon considered it. Why not? Like he could really fight three aurors in his current condition? Yeah, they'd chuck him into Azkaban, but at least they would take him to a healer beforehand. They had to. Whatever else the Ministry was, they weren't sadistic.

_I don't quit._

_But it hurts so much._

_I don't quit._

_I just want the pain to stop._

_I . . . don't . . . quit!_

O'Bannon reached under his sweatshirt and pulled out his wand. He got ready to lean around the tree and cast some Stunning Spells. It would be futile, he knew. The aurors could easily block them. But what the hell else could he do to take out three aurors?

He held his breath when the memory flared. His mind took him back a day ago, to Tonks' training session, and the Whirlwind Spell.

_Which I sucked at._

But what other spell did he know that could knock out three aurors in one shot?

O'Bannon tried to block out the pain tearing apart his shoulder, or at least work through it. He had to concentrate to remember the proper incantation and wand movement.

_Yeah. I got it._

He peeked out from behind the tree. The aurors headed toward him.

"_Ventus Tempestas!"_ He circled the wand over his head twice.

A harsh wind blew around him and died.

"Dammit!" He bared his clenched teeth as another searing pain burrowed through him.

"_Ventus Tempestas!"_

A gray miniature tornado sprouted ten feet from him and raced toward the aurors. The three men backed away.

The tornado suddenly vanished.

"No!"

A bolt flew from one auror's wand. It struck the tree O'Bannon hid behind. It shimmered and transfigured into a single blade of grass. He held his breath and stared in horror at the little sliver of green.

"This is your final warning! Surrender peacefully or we will be forced to stun you!"

O'Bannon looked up from the blade of grass. The aurors held their ground, wands aimed at him. Why not surrender? That was the easiest thing to do. Let them take him to a healer and end the pain.

_Don't . . . give . . . up._

Maybe the aurors would capture him and drag him off to Azkaban. But before they did, he would at least put up one final fight.

He pictured Tonks back in the Room of Requirement performing the Whirlwind Spell. He clearly pictured her wand movement, her tone and the way she enunciated the incantation.

"_Ventus Tempestas!"_

"_Expelliarmus!"_

The wand flew from O'Bannon's hand a split-second after wind rushed around him. Waves of dirt and rocks leapt off the ground and plowed toward the aurors. The whirlwind swept over them. One man smacked against a tree and crumpled to the ground. The other two flailed as they soared through the air.

O'Bannon exhaled, then sucked down two quick breaths. He fell on his stomach and dragged himself across the ground with one hand. An icy chill coated his body. For some reason, he started to sweat. A lot.

He made it to another tree and propped himself against it. All the energy drained from his body. He continued to take quick breaths that never quite filled his lungs. The forest around him swirled.

_Just gotta rest. I'll be fine in a bit._

His body turned to lead. The pain began to fade. That was a good thing. In a few minutes he should be well enough to go on.

Two figures stalked toward him. O'Bannon narrowed his eyes. He tried to wave at them, but his right arm, his good arm, would not rise. In fact, he couldn't move any part of his body.

His chin dipped to his chest. No more fighting, no more crawling. He just wanted to sleep.

The figures walked cautiously toward him. They had to be . . . O'Bannon couldn't tell how close they were. It didn't matter. He'd be asleep soon. With a little sleep he'd be fine. Or sound as a pound. Yeah, he was in Britain, wasn't he? Sound as a pound. Funny.

His eyes closed all the way.

An electric crackle split the air. O'Bannon's eyes snapped open. A red flash enveloped one of the aurors. The other one swung around. Someone dove at him on a broom and nailed him with another red bolt. The man collapsed.

The figure on the broom landed next to O'Bannon. He tried to raise his heavy head, but let it fall back down.

"_Accio O'Bannon's wand!"_

Seconds later two hands grabbed him and draped him over the broom. A gust of wind washed over him. He felt the sensation of being lifted into the air.

He felt no pain. He didn't feel anything. For a moment O'Bannon wondered if he was having an out-of-body experience. If so, it felt pretty cool.

"You're going to be okay, Jimmy." A female voice filtered through the haze surrounding his head. Even distorted, it still sounded familiar. Who . . .

"Tonks?" he moaned.

"What can I say? I couldn't let anything happen to that cute arse of yours."

With his last little bit of strength, Jimmy O'Bannon smiled.

A second later darkness consumed him.

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	22. The Road Ahead

**CHAPTER 22: THE ROAD AHEAD**

* * *

A sliver of light pierced the darkness. It flickered and grew. Before long the darkness vanished. Shapes took form. Jimmy O'Bannon noticed blankets covering him, walls surrounding him and a window with sunlight pouring through.

_Where am I?_

He groaned and slowly sat up. A leaden feeling gripped his muscles. He fought through it, lifting his shoulders off the mattress. He winced and glanced at his left shoulder. It felt tender and sore.

Favoring his right side, O'Bannon managed to rise to a sitting position. He gazed around the room. The bookcase to his right contained more family photos and knick knacks than books. To his left was a nightstand with an alarm clock and a dark-colored stick.

His wand.

O'Bannon rubbed his forehead. His face scrunched as he searched his memory. What had he been doing before he came to this place?

_Hogwarts!_ His chest tightened at the sudden realization. He'd been at Hogwarts. Actually, he'd been fleeing the school. Him and Rosa and Jared and Artimus and Tonks.

Aurors! They'd had aurors chasing them. And he did something. What was it? Oh yeah. He popped the brake on his broom, a move right out of . . . what was that movie? The one with Tom . . . Tom Cruise, and the fighter planes?

He grunted and shook his head. He had enough trouble remembering the events of the last few minutes, nevermind the name of some old movie.

_What happened? What happened?_

He'd hit the aurors, broke their formation. Then he spiraled to the ground out of control and struck something hard. A tree? Pain followed, pain on a level he couldn't imagine. Then . . . then what?

O'Bannon glanced at his wand on the nightstand. The aurors certainly didn't capture. They wouldn't leave his wand lying beside him. Plus, they wouldn't put him in a room like this.

Slowly, he slid his legs over the edge of the bed and lowered his bare feet to the floor. It took several seconds for him to straighten up, after which he shuffled toward the door. He opened it halfway and peered out. A deserted, carpeted hallway greeted him. It led to some stairs to his right. He padded toward them, gripped the banister tightly and gingerly descended the winding staircase. A tidy living room with overstuffed chairs and sofas appeared below him.

Before he reached the bottom, a voice called out, "Jimmy?"

He turned. A familiar figure shot off one of the sofas, staring wide-eyed at him.

"Yo, guys!" Jared Diaz yelled over his shoulder. "Jimmy's up!"

Pounding feet echoed from the next room. Rosa Infante and Artimus Rand barreled out of the entryway and halted next to Jared.

"Jimmy!" Artimus beamed.

"Hey, guys. You all okay?"

Rosa's jaw tightened. She stomped over to him, eyes narrowed. "If you weren't on the mend I'd knock your stupid head off your stupid shoulders. I can't believe you pulled a stunt like that. Do you know how worried I was?"

"I love you too, Rosa." He managed a weak grin.

Rosa shook her head, then gently hugged him. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore, stiff, but at least I'm still breathing. Where are we, anyway?"

"Our house."

O'Bannon released Rosa and looked toward the kitchen. A tall, patrician woman with brown hair and a fair-haired man with a big belly entered the living room.

"Glad to see you're up and about." The woman smiled at him. "Especially considering the frightful state you were in when our daughter brought you here."

"Your daughter?" O'Bannon furrowed his brow.

"Oh, sorry. I should introduce myself, shouldn't I?" The woman approached him, the man right behind her. "I'm Andromeda Tonks. This is my husband, Ted."

"Tonks?" He shook hands first with Andromeda, then Ted. "You're Tonks' parents? I mean, Nymph . . ." He winced a bit at using her first name. "Nymphadora's parents."

"That's right," said Andromeda.

"She brought me here? How?"

"She went back and got you after you crashed into those aurors," Jared answered. "And regardless of what Rosa said, that was totally bad-ass. Crazy, but still bad-ass."

"Yeah, thanks."

"Anyway," Artimus picked up the story. "We all wanted to go back for you, but Tonks ordered us to come here. She said she'd go back and get you. A few minutes after we arrived here, Tonks showed up with you."

"You were a mess, man." Jared shook his head in disbelief. "You pretty much shattered your left arm and shoulder. Hell, you had a bone sticking out of your shoulder."

O'Bannon grimaced, memories of the crushing pain returning.

Jared continued. "That wasn't all. You had internal bleeding, broken ribs, a ruptured spleen, a busted knee. The healer who treated you said Tonks was lucky to find you when she did since you'd gone into shock."

"You took me to a healer?"

"Actually, we brought one here," Ted answered. "Don't worry. She's a friend of the Order of the Phoenix, like us. Honestly, it was touch and go with you for a while. Luckily she did a remarkable job fixing you up."

"Us, too," Artimus chimed in. "My knee is good as new. So is Rosa's nose."

"Glad to hear it." O'Bannon checked over his friends. Artimus no longer had an eternal grimace of pain on his face. Rosa's face was devoid of blood and her nose looked absolutely perfect.

His eyes shifted to his shoulder. It just felt sore, like those times he lifted weights too much.

_Thank God for magical medicine._ Had he been an ordinary Muggle, he'd still be laid up in bed and facing months of rehab.

"Sounds like I owe Tonks again for saving my ass." O'Bannon's gaze settled on Andromeda and Ted. "You guys have a hell of a daughter, you know?"

"Oh, she's all right." Ted grinned and softly chuckled. Andromeda backhanded his ample stomach, but laughed right along with him.

O'Bannon started to smile when another memory of Tonks surfaced. The one with them in bed together. He shuddered and looked away from the Tonkses.

"Are you shivering, dear? Are you cold?"

"Um, no, Ma'am. I'm fine."

"Oh quit being so brave. Come to the kitchen. I'll make you a nice bowl of soup."

Andromeda put an arm around his shoulders and guided him to the kitchen. O'Bannon's eyes flickered all over the house. He wanted to look anywhere but at Mrs. Tonks. The irrational fear gripped him that if he made eye contact with her, she would somehow know every single thing he had done with her daughter in the Room of Requirement.

And God help him if Mr. Tonks found out.

O'Bannon took a seat at the table, where his friends joined him. Minutes later Andromeda appeared with a bowl of leeks and potato soup and a cup of tea.

"Um, what about you guys?" he asked his friends after a few mouthfuls of soup, which was delicious. "Aren't you gonna have something?"

"No." Rosa shook her head. "We had lunch about an hour ago."

"Oh." O'Bannon downed another spoonful of soup. He thought back to their flight from Hogwarts. Let's see, that had taken place after breakfast. And now it was past lunch.

"Weird." He twisted the corner of his mouth.

"What's weird?" Artimus canted his head.

"It just feels like I was asleep a lot longer." He spooned more soup into his mouth.

Rosa and Jared turned to one another.

"Um, Jimmy?" Rosa sounded hesitant. "You've been asleep for _two days."_

O'Bannon spat the soup from his mouth. He hacked a few times and looked to Rosa, his eyes wide. "Two . . . two days!"

"Jimmy, you were in bad shape when Tonks brought you here. After the healer fixed you up, she gave you a sleeping draught. A really strong one. She said you needed to sleep for a while, give your body the chance to recover from all that trauma."

O'Bannon slumped back in his chair. Two days! He'd slept for two whole days? What had happened during that . . .

"Oh my God." He sat up and gazed at his three friends. "The Longathian Tunnel. The Death Eaters. What happened with th-"

A knock at the front door cut him off.

"I got it," Ted announced.

O'Bannon turned around in his chair and looked through the square entryway into the living room, as did Rosa, Jared and Artimus. Who was at the door? Tonks? What if it was someone from the Ministry of Magic? O'Bannon swallowed. His stomach churned at the thought of Tonks' parents being hauled off to Azkaban for sheltering them.

"Afternoon, Professor. We've been expecting you. Oh good, you brought Dora, too. Hello, sweetheart."

A tingle went through O'Bannon's chest. _Tonks is here? _He gripped the back of his chair and slowly pushed himself to his feet. His mind exploded with images of Tonks' beautiful face and trim body and the sunset-colored hair she had the night they made love. Amidst all that came a flicker of curiosity. Who was the person Ted addressed as "Professor?"

That curiosity vanished when Tonks entered the room, her hair spiky and lime green.

"Jimmy!" She strode over to him and wrapped her arms tightly around him. He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent, relishing the feel of her body against his.

"How are you feeling?" She leaned back, hands still on his shoulders.

"Obviously better than when you brought me here." He cranked an eyebrow. "Hey. Didn't I tell you not to come back for me?"

"You did. But just ask my parents. I've always had trouble following orders."

A smile grew across O'Bannon's face. More than anything he wanted to kiss her, kiss her long and deep. He would have, had it not been for the fact Tonks' father stood in the entryway. Him and someone else. A tall man in red and silver robes with a long white beard and half-moon glasses.

"Headmaster Dumbledore?" He released Tonks and gaped at the headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Holy crap!" Jared jumped out of his seat. "That's Albus Dumbledore?"

The old wizard swiveled his head in Jared's direction.

"Oh. Um, I mean, h-hello, Sir. Um, I'm Jared Diaz. Salem Witches Institute in America. This is my cousin, Rosa Infante, and our friend Artimus Rand."

Rosa and Artimus both stood, staring in awe at one of the most famous wizards of the past century.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." Dumbledore smiled and bowed slightly. His twinkling eyes fixed on Artimus. "Rand? You wouldn't have anything to do with Rand's Realm of Magical Necessities, would you?"

Artimus' mouth opened and closed soundlessly. He appeared on the verge of fainting. "Uh, uh, yes, Sir. My-my family owns it."

"Ah. I actually bought a pair of magical snow shoes from that shop many years ago during a trip to The States. They were supposed to clear a path in the snow ahead of you. Instead they drew the snow _onto _me. A couple passing children mistook me for a snowman and wanted to place rocks where my eyes were. It's all rather amusing when I look back on it."

Artimus lowered his head, looking ashamed.

"What are you doing here, Headmaster?" asked O'Bannon.

"I stopped by after our healer finished working on you. She did an outstanding job considering the state you were in. Before I left, I placed a charm on you to let me know when you awoke."

"What about the Longathian Tunnel?" He leaned toward Dumbledore. "What about the Death Eaters and all those monsters? Did you stop them?"

"Tut, tut, Jimmy." Dumbledore waved a hand in front of him. "All your questions shall be answered. Please, sit. All of you. Oh, Andromeda. If it's not an imposition, I was wondering if I could have a spot of tea."

"No imposition at all, Professor. Coming right up."

O'Bannon, Rosa, Jared, Artimus, Tonks and Ted all took their seats, with Dumbledore sitting at the head of the table. All eyes locked on the old wizard as he spoke.

"To start, yes, Jimmy, we did find the Longathian Tunnel."

O'Bannon sighed in relief, his shoulders sagging.

Tension suddenly crept up his back. Dumbledore only said they _found _the Longathian Tunnel. Had they also stopped You-Know-Who's reinforcements?

Dumbledore continued. "Kingsley Shacklebolt alerted me to the tunnel's existence while I was in another interminable meeting with Cornelius Fudge. Something about the increased number of detentions this term and how it shows a breakdown of discipline or something to that effect. Honestly, at the time I was thinking about last week's dreadful match the Chudley Cannons had with Puddlemere. Another season of futility for the Cannons, I fear."

O'Bannon shifted in his seat, his hands clenching the edge of the table. Dumbledore seemed to notice, as he frowned slightly and continued. "Anyway, Kingsley came into Cornelius' office and reported a riot at Hogwarts. He turned his back to Cornelius and silently mouthed to me, 'Order.' I assumed it was something serious, so I told the Minister I needed to return to Hogwarts immediately. He accused me of being in league with you, Jimmy, in staging a disturbance at Hogwarts to embarrass him and force him from office so I could take over. I maintained, as I had in all our previous meetings, that I had no knowledge of your presence at Hogwarts, or why you would return, which at the time, was true. It came as a bit of a surprise when I learned you and your friends really were at Hogwarts.

"Anyway, I stated that if I didn't return and stop this riot, the school could suffer massive damage and many students could be hurt, badly. I reminded Cornelius that would certainly reflect negatively on him, and since he had no proof of a conspiracy between me and you, he could not prevent me from returning to Hogwarts to restore order. Cornelius relented, rather reluctantly. Once we exited the Minister's office, Kingsley told me about the Longathian Tunnel. I sent Professor McGonagall back to Hogwarts to take care of matters there, while we searched for the Longathian Tunnel. Arthur Weasley managed to track down a supposed reformed Death Eater by the name of Moseby Montague."

O'Bannon's eyes widened. There was a Devlin Montague who played for Slytherin when the Triad hockey team took them on. Could the two be related?

"Montague allegedly helped construct a Longathian tunnel for Voldemort's forces during the first war. He was brought to trial, but not convicted due to a lack of evidence. Remus Lupin and Emmeline Vance paid him a visit, and in a conversation that included just a drop of Veritaserum, learned that he had come up with the spells needed to create a new tunnel, this one located along the Solway Firth. We dispatched every available Order member there, and arrived just as the first group of reinforcements emerged."

O'Bannon leaned across the table, as did everyone else.

Dumbledore continued. "A pitched battle resulted. It took quite an effort, but the reinforcements we didn't kill were pushed back into the tunnel. Then, to my astonishment, a patronus burst out of the tunnel. A patronus in the form of a hawk."

"A hawk?" Jared blurted as Andromeda appeared with Dumbledore's tea. "Wait a minute. That's Headmistress Esmeralda's patronus. She got in touch with you?"

"Yes." Dumbledore sipped his tea. "Athena's patronus reported the Guild of the Light located the other end of the tunnel along the coast of Maine. When the Guild attacked, several of Voldemort's reinforcements scattered. Others were killed, but most entered the tunnel."

"So what happened?" Rosa slid forward in her seat.

Dumbledore slowly traced a finger along the edge of his tea cup. The usual twinkle in his eyes faded. O'Bannon cranked an eyebrow. _What's wrong with him?_

"We were outnumbered." The old wizard said in a much lower voice. "We would never be able to defeat them in a direct confrontation. So I coordinated with Athena and took the only course of action available to us."

Dumbledore sighed. "We conjured some very powerful spells and _moved_ the access points of the Longathian Tunnel. Athena relocated her end into the Atlantic, I sent my end into the Irish Sea, thus flooding the tunnel."

"And-And the Death Eaters?" Artimus asked hesitantly. "All those dark creatures?"

"Drowned. All of them."

"Good." Jared slammed his palm on the table. "The less Death Eaters in the world the better."

Rosa nodded emphatically. O'Bannon was about to do the same when Dumbledore spoke again.

"The killing of people is not something to celebrate."

"But Headmaster," Jared replied. "They're Death Eaters. They were gonna invade _your _country. Kill a ton of people."

"I know that. But the killing of any living being is tragic, and something not to be taken lightly. Unfortunately, we are in a war with nothing less than the fate of both the Wizarding _and_ Muggle Worlds at stake. Sides must be chosen. The Death Eaters and their followers chose theirs. The side of hate, of greed, of corruption, of wanton killing. They wish to spread those things like a disease. So we sometimes must resort to extreme measures to prevent that from happening. Hence, we had no choice but to drown those American Death Eaters and the creatures they brought with them. Evil as they were, they were still living beings. And if you have a conscience like we in this room do, if you cherish life, then when you kill, even in the name of a just cause, you lose a little piece of your soul. During my long life, I have regrettably lost many little pieces of my soul. But that is the price we must pay in order to preserve the freedoms we enjoy."

Silence hung over the kitchen. O'Bannon's eyes fell to his soup bowl. Dumbledore's words rolled through his mind. He couldn't believe the headmaster actually felt any sort of remorse for a bunch of Death Eaters. He'd heard enough stories about those bastards from Rosa's and Jared's parents to completely agree with Jared's statement. The less Death Eaters in the world, the better.

Then he thought back to that night in Ovenderburg, the battle with the Death Eaters. One image in particular was forever burned into his brain.

The body of Serinta Sejant.

He grinded his teeth as he thought of the Slytherin girl lying on the ground after being hit by that Killing Curse, her wide eyes staring into oblivion. Part of him actually felt bad that she died, even though the bitch tried to kill him. But she'd been the same age as him. And just like that, she was dead. He remembered Tonks' words to him after the battle, how Serinta no doubt had family who would mourn her. How she might still be alive if she had made vastly different choices. How she would never get the chance to redeem herself.

Did those Death Eaters have families who mourned them? Did they leave behind sons and daughters? Could some of them have reformed if they had lived?

_Like Dumbledore said. This is war. It was either kill them or let Voldemort win._

He looked back at Dumbledore, who stared into his tea cup. O'Bannon bit his lip, trying to imagine the burden this man carried. So many deaths. Not just in the Longathian Tunnel, but during the first war as well. How does a good man like Dumbledore cope with so much blood on his hands?

Now he began to wonder. Could he deal with it if he was forced to kill someone? O'Bannon prayed he never found out. But with a wider war looming, he doubted that would be possible.

"Anyway . . ." Dumbledore took a long sip of his tea. "We have achieved a major victory against Voldemort and his forces. He shouldn't be able to move against the Ministry for quite some time."

"What about Hogwarts?" asked O'Bannon. "Is everything okay there? I mean, no one got hurt bad in all that commotion, did they?"

"Oh, just a lot of bumps and bruises and a few sprained ankles. Nothing that Madam Pomfrey couldn't handle. Though Mister Filch was in a fouler mood than usual at all the extra cleaning he had to do. Your little 'distraction' left quite a mess."

O'Bannon couldn't help but smile at the thought of that asshole Filch pissed off because of his actions.

Another concern struck him. "What about Hagrid? We heard he got arrested."

"Ah yes." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. "I managed to convince Cornelius to release him. We wouldn't want word getting out that he was arresting groundskeepers for simply wandering off school grounds without informing their superiors. That is rather excessive, wouldn't you say? I doubt many would look favorably on the Minister of Magic for condoning such an action. And for Cornelius Fudge, image is everything."

Dumbledore took another sip of tea. "Now, onto our next order of business. Getting you four back to America."

Artimus slowly raised his hand.

"Yes, Mister Rand?" Dumbledore nodded to him.

"Um, sir. I, uh, just have this concern."

"Go on."

"Well, it's just, I mean, what's to stop Minister Fudge from pursuing us to America? We did attack a bunch of aurors. He's probably already alerted our Department of Magic. They can send aurors to Salem to arrest us and bring us back to England."

O'Bannon's insides tightened. He never even considered that. He just assumed if they got back to America all would be well. But just as Muggle America and Britain were strong allies, so were Wizarding America and Britain. The Department of Magic would have no trouble handing over four teenagers who'd assaulted countless aurors to the Brits.

"Ah yes." Dumbledore folded his hands. "I spoke with Cornelius after the tunnel business had been resolved. And no, I did not tell him about it. He would have refused to believe it anyway. Now Cornelius did say that the Ministry would pursue you all to America and bring you back here to stand trial. And that is when my little plan went into motion."

"Your plan?" Rosa gave him a quizzical look.

"Yes. After I learned of Jimmy's presence at Hogwarts, I knew I had to create some sort of cover story for the Ministry. I had a few Order members get an owl and cast spells on it to make it seem it hailed from The States. The Ministry, as they do with all international owls these days, intercepted it. And what did they find? A message dated over a week ago from Headmistress Athena Esmeralda of Salem addressed to me. Forged brilliantly by Sirius Black, I must add. The letter explained that a while ago I had mentioned how I wished some of Athena's students to fly on a Muggle airplane to England, and give a detailed presentation of their trip to our Muggle Studies class. The students chosen for this were Jimmy O'Bannon, Jared Diaz, Rosa Infante and Artimus Rand. However, it appeared the owl got lost during its trip over the Atlantic and never arrived by the time you landed here. So, since I had previously given permission for Salem students to fly into this country and come to Hogwarts, you were not in this country illegally. Therefore, it was the aurors who assaulted you without provocation, leaving you no choice but to defend yourselves. I told Cornelius how would it look if word got out, which I told him it eventually would, that the Ministry could not apprehend four American teenagers? How could anyone have faith in him as the leader of the British Wizarding World?"

Dumbledore sipped some tea before continuing. "Cornelius thought on it. I could tell he was thinking from the strained look on his face. Ultimately, he decided not to pursue the matter further."

"He's not coming after us?" Artimus gaped. "He bought your story? He bought that phony letter?"

"Well, Sirius is a talented forger. You should have seen his work when he attended Hogwarts. Usually it was a note purportedly from our school nurse claiming he couldn't attend class due to one ailment or another. Funny, it always occurred on days when he had a big test. And as for Cornelius, remember, he is obsessed with holding on to his office, with making sure people see him as firmly in charge. And the entire Auror's Office being outfought and outwitted by a quartet of American teenagers would be contrary to that image. So yes, Mister Rand. Cornelius Fudge is willing to drop the matter rather than risk looking inept."

"But all the aurors and Dementors he had at Hogwarts," Rosa noted. "How can he explain all that away?"

"According to today's _Daily Prophet, _Cornelius said it was part of a major exercise to show the Ministry can adequately protect Hogwarts in the event of an emergency."

"That guy is something else." O'Bannon snorted and shook his head. "Dumbass."

"Quite." Dumbledore gave him a wry grin. "Well, it appears all your problems have been resolved save one. How to get you home? Actually, that's not true. We have solution to that."

"It doesn't involve a Muggle airplane, does it?" Rosa grimaced.

"No, Miss Infante, it does not. You'll be going home by _normal _means."

"Our allies in France are setting up a port key for you," Ted announced.

O'Bannon held his breath. The mention of France made him think of a certain tall blonde woman who played on the Triad hockey team. Mireet Miradeaux. He wondered what the gorgeous witch was doing right now.

"We've arranged for a boat to take you across the Channel tomorrow night. You'll be met by a contact from _Force d'Vigilant, _France's version of the Order of the Phoenix, who'll take you to the port key. Actually, the man who'll be taking you across the Channel is my cousin."

"Your cousin?" Rosa furrowed her brow. "But you're Muggle-born. You don't have any magical relatives."

"You're right. Nathan's a Muggle. In fact, he's in the Royal Navy."

Dumbledore followed Ted's revelation. "Some of the Muggle-borns in the Order of the Phoenix suggested using select relatives to aid our cause. Chances are neither the Ministry or Voldemort will pay any attention to them. After all, to them, what threat are mere Muggles? We mainly use them to run errands or relay messages, and we make certain they have a background in law enforcement or the military, so they are used to dangerous situations."

"Well thanks for doing all this." O'Bannon looked from Dumbledore to the Tonks family. "We really appreciate it."

"It's you we need to thank, Jimmy. You and your friends. You risked much to come here and warn us about the Longathian Tunnel. Everything I had hoped for when you formed the Triad hockey team last year has come to pass. The bonds created among you and your teammates have remained strong. It is what led you to return here, and for your friends at Hogwarts to trust you implicitly. Had you not formed that team, had they not become so close, Headmistress Esmeralda may not have had anyone to send to England, and we would not be having this pleasant conversation and enjoying the Tonkses hospitality. One of the goals of last year's Tri-Wizard Tournament was to foster international magical cooperation. You were more successful at that than I could have ever imagined. Because of that, you may have saved both our countries."

O'Bannon froze, staring with unblinking eyes at Dumbledore. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, one of the greatest wizards ever, just heaped about two tons of praise on him, claiming he'd saved the Wizarding World. Him! Jimmy Friggin' O'Bannon, a Muggle-born hockey player from Boston.

_Me? A hero?_ When he looked back on everything that had happened this past week, he didn't feel like a hero. How many times had he screwed up? How many of his plans turned to crap?

_But we did alert the Order of the Phoenix, and they took care of the Longathian Tunnel. You-Know-Who didn't get his reinforcements._

It still didn't make him feel like a hero. The best he could say was he had been given a job to do, and he did it. The real heroes were the members of the Guild and the Order who fought the Death Eaters and those dark creatures and kept them from invading England.

And he sure as hell couldn't believe that this victory had its roots in a hockey game played over a year ago.

"Well," Jared broke the silence. "Next time anyone says hockey is a stupid Muggle game, you can really set them straight, Jimmy."

O'Bannon managed a smile.

"This country is forever in your debt." Dumbledore's eyes swept over the quartet. "I can't tell you how proud I am to know that four outstanding people such as yourselves are with us in this fight. But heed my words. This was just one battle in a bigger war. The road ahead will be a difficult one. You will face dangers you could never imagine. You will have to make very hard choices, do things you would normally never dream of doing, endure hardships, make sacrifices, and regrettably, mourn the loss of friends and loved ones. But through it all, you must persevere. You must, otherwise all that we cherish, freedom, compassion, love, will vanish from this Earth. To you four I say this. Trust in each other. Look into your hearts, your souls, and call upon every ounce of strength, courage, determination and love to see you through the darkest of times. In doing so, I have no doubt that you, all of us, will emerge from this struggle triumphant."

No one spoke as Dumbledore rose from his chair. Again he gazed at the quartet. "Take care, all of you. And should you ever find yourselves in England again, remember, you will always be welcome at Hogwarts."

With a slow nod to them, Dumbledore turned and strode out of the house.

A very silent minute passed before O'Bannon turned back to the others. Rosa, Jared and Artimus all stared at him. He studied their eyes, and could tell they were still absorbing Dumbledore's words. After another minute, looks of resolve passed over their faces. Rosa took a deep breath and stretched out her hand, placing it in the center of the table. Jared did the same, putting his hand on top of his cousin's. Moments later both O'Bannon and Artimus added their hands. The quartet stared at one another. No words were spoken. None needed to be. Their eyes, their expressions, made their intentions clear.

They would see this war through to the end. Together.

_**NEXT: CHAPTER 23 – CROSSING THE SEA OF TIME**_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_The story of the Triad hockey team is chronicled in Jimmy O'Bannon's first adventure, "The Puck Drops Here."_


	23. Crossing The Sea Of Time

**CHAPTER 23: CROSSING THE SEA OF TIME**

* * *

_Looks like I'm ready._

Jimmy O'Bannon zipped up his backpack after checking over its contents one last time. The process didn't take too long since he hadn't brought much with him except a couple changes of clothes. The biggest additions came from Mrs. Tonks, who made some sandwiches and pastries for the quartet to take with them on their trip home.

He smiled and shook his head. How could someone as nice as Andromeda Tonks have come from Slytherin House?

_Too bad that house doesn't have more people like her._

O'Bannon was about to pick up his backpack from the bed when he glanced at the bookcase on the other side of the room. He released his grasp on the backpack and walked toward the bookcase, a little quicker than he would have yesterday. The soreness had begun to fade from his body.

He examined the moving photos on one shelf, all various shots of the Tonks family. One had Andromeda and Ted sitting on the grass with a seven or eight-year-old Tonks between them, smirking at the camera, her hair changing from snow white to purple. Another showed just Tonks in a pointy witch's hat and flowing sequined robes that continually changed color; red, gold, yellow, black, blue, bronze, green and silver. The colors of the four houses of Hogwarts.

_Must be graduation robes._

He stared intently at Tonks' heart-shaped face, complete with her patented wry grin. A quiver went through his insides, preventing him from breathing for a moment. His mind filled with memories of that night in the Room of Requirement when . . .

"Now what sort of perverted thoughts are going through your mind as you stare at my picture?"

O'Bannon gasped and spun around. Tonks leaned against the door frame, arms folded, grinning.

"Oh. Uh, actually I was admiring your graduation robes."

"Ha! More likely you were picturing what I look like without those robes. Then again, you already know." She winked at him.

O'Bannon offered her a weak smile.

Tonks pushed herself off the door frame and sauntered up to him. "Dad wanted me to come fetch you. It's almost time to leave."

"Right."

They stared at each other in silence. Tonks licked her lips and looked away, as if trying to think of something to say. So was he, for that matter. He had a hard time forming complete sentences as his eyes roamed across Tonks' neck, up her chin and to her lips. Would he . . . would they ever . . .?

His stomach fell flat. His shoulders sagged.

"So, um, I guess . . ." O'Bannon took a long breath. "You think we'll ever see one another again?"

"I'd like to think so. Even if things were normal it would be rather hard, living on opposite sides of an ocean. But with a war going on . . ."

"Yeah. Not like I can pop over here when I want to and take you to dinner while dodging curses from Death Eaters."

Tonks just nodded. O'Bannon thought he saw her eyes glistening, but decided he must be mistaken. Women like Tonks weren't the weepy kind.

He took a step forward and gently grasped her shoulders. "Thank you. For everything. For saving my life, for all your advice, for believing in me, for . . . for being the first woman I ever had sex with. I'm glad you became part of my life."

Tonks stared at him. There was no mistaking the moisture gathering in her eyes. She stiffened her jaw and moved closer to him, her arms going around his back.

"I'm glad you became part of my life, Jimmy O'Bannon. I'm glad you were there for me that night in the Room of Requirement, that we were there for each other, and that it was such a special night for you. For me, too. What we did, I wouldn't have done with just any bloke. You're a good man, Jimmy, and I'd proudly fight by your side any minute of any day."

"Same here. Just do me a favor and be careful."

"You too. I'd like to see you again once this is all over. And if we're still single, maybe you can buy a sexy arse-kicking auror a drink."

"If we're still single, I'll do more than just buy you a drink."

Tonks' smile grew.

O'Bannon leaned in and kissed her. They pressed their bodies together and hugged tightly, their mouths opening wider and wider. He didn't want to go back to Salem. He wanted to stay right here with Tonks, holding her, kissing her, stripping her naked and . . .

"Yo, Jimmy! Mister Tonks says it's . . ."

O'Bannon and Tonks pulled their mouths apart and whirled around to the door. A wide-eyed Jared Diaz stood just outside the door frame.

"Dude, what!" O'Bannon snapped.

"Um, I just wanted to say we're ready to go. Well, all of us except you. Jeez, you guys can't keep your hands off one another, can you?"

"Gimmie a minute, okay?" O'Bannon glared at him.

"Okay, but everyone is downstairs waiting."

"He said, give us . . . a minute!" Tonks whipped out her wand and slashed it through the air. The door slammed shut, forcing Jared to jump back before it smashed into his face.

O'Bannon grunted. "It's a good thing he's my best friend, otherwise I'd kick his ass."

Tonks looked back at him and cupped his cheek with her left hand. "Come on. Let's make the most of this minute."

He drew a breath, smiled and covered Tonks' lips with his.

**XXXXX**

Once O'Bannon joined the others, Ted led them outside and past the wards surrounding the house. O'Bannon swore the man gave him an appraising stare as he opened the wooden gate surrounding the front yard and onto a small dirt path. He winced a bit. Did Ted suspect something going on between him and his daughter?

_Probably just your imagination. How could he know what me and Tonks have been doing?_

He kept repeating the thought until he halfway believed it.

About fifty feet from the front gate, they Apparated. Seconds later O'Bannon heard waves rushing across a small stretch of beach. He blinked and saw the darkened English Channel before him.

"Here we are, then," Ted announced. "Just outside Worthing." He pulled out his wand and aimed it at the water. The tip glowed, three quick flashes followed by a longer one.

O'Bannon screwed up his eyes and scanned the night cloaked water. He blinked in surprise when in the distance he noticed four strobes, a long one followed by three shorter ones.

"Jolly good." Ted pocketed his wand. "Nathan's right on time."

A couple minutes later a speedboat roared up to the shore. The man inside tossed out a small anchor, jumped into the knee deep water and sloshed his way onto the beach. He was tall, stout and dressed in dark clothes.

"'For here I am, sitting in a tin can, far above the world,'" Ted blurted.

O'Bannon raised an eyebrow when the newcomer responded, "'Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do.'"

"What the heck was that all about?" Artimus drew his head back.

"Code phrase and the counter-phrase," Rosa replied. "Just another security measure. Weird choice of words, though."

"Not really." O'Bannon turned to them. "They're song lyrics, from David Bowie's 'Space Oddity.' You know, the song about Major Tom."

"David Bowie?" Rosa repeated the name. "Oh yeah. Tonks told me about him. That Muggle singer her dad likes."

"Good to see you again, Nathan." Ted shook the man's hand vigorously.

"Same here, Ted. You're looking well."

Ted led the newcomer over to the quartet. "Here's your 'precious cargo.'"

The man stood in front of them and bowed slightly. "Good evening, gentlemen, lady. Lieutenant Commander Nathan Tonks, Royal Navy, at your service."

The four shook hands with Ted's cousin. O'Bannon studied the man, his posture, his mannerisms, the way he spoke. The guy just exuded Britishness.

"Thanks for doing this, Nathan," Ted patted him on the shoulder.

"Just doing my duty, cousin."

"Right. You take care of yourself, and them."

"Rest assured they're in good hands. You take care as well, Ted, and give my love to Andromeda and Dora."

"I will."

Ted bade the quartet farewell, shooting another suspicious gaze O'Bannon's way. Or maybe he just imagined it.

"Right, everyone in." Nathan pointed his arm to the speedboat. "Oh, and if one of you would be kind enough to cast one of those Repelling Charms to eliminate all the sea spray, unless you fancy being cold and damp before we get to France."

"I can do that." Rosa raised her hand.

"Splendid." Nathan smiled.

Rosa cast the charm and climbed into the boat with the others. Thankfully, she, Jared nor Artimus showed any hesitation boarding a Muggle speedboat, unlike the airplane at Logan International. Then again, Muggle World or Wizarding World, a boat was a boat.

"So how do you make this thing go?" Artimus swiveled his head in all directions.

"It's probably the same way all those other Muggle boats we see from the _Salem Schooner _go." Jared sat on a small bench toward the rear. "With a . . . aw, man, what's it called again? A _moot-ah."_

"Motor," O'Bannon corrected Jared as he sat across from him.

"All in?" Nathan checked to make sure the quartet was seated. "Right. Let's get going."

He hauled up the small anchor, then slipped on a pair of dark futuristic-looking goggles.

"What the heck are those things?" Jared shot Nathan a quizzical look.

"These? Oh, night vision goggles."

"You mean you can see in the dark with those things?" asked Rosa.

"Quite. They magnify any ambient light and provide me with a clear picture of my surroundings."

"And Muggles made that? Without magic?" Jared gaped. "Wicked pissah!"

Nathan smiled, then started the engine and headed out into the Channel.

"Excuse me, Mister, I mean, Commander Tonks." Rosa got out of her seat and approached him, steadying herself on the gunwales. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Well, I'm just curious. I mean, no offense, you are a Muggle, and here you are involving yourself in a wizarding war. I'm just wondering why you'd do that?"

"Besides having family like Ted involved in this unfortunate business, I did take an oath to defend Queen and Country. Where I stand, England is England, be it Muggle England or Wizarding England."

"But what happens if you have to face any witches or wizards? How can you fight them without magic?"

"I have taken precautions against that." Nathan patted a bulge on the right side of his waist. While Rosa stood perplexed, O'Bannon had seen enough movies to know exactly what the naval officer carried.

"It's a pistol," he finally explained to Rosa.

"A pistol? But a simple Disarming Charm . . ."

"I know, Miss Infante. But a pistol is better than nothing. Besides, witches and wizards have been known to miss with their spells, and magical or not, they're still human beings, and not immune to bullets."

Nathan took his eyes off the water briefly and looked to Rosa. "Let me guess. You're a pureblood, am I right?"

She nodded.

"Well, I can't say I blame you for thinking a Muggle like me is out of his league getting involved in a war like this."

"Oh no. I didn't mean to offend you."

"No offense taken. I'd be thinking that too were I in your shoes. Honestly, against you lot I probably am out of me league. But when Ted came to me and explained what was going on, I knew I had to get involved. If Volde . . ."

Rosa tensed at the name.

"Sorry," Nathan said. "I forgot how you lot react to that name. If _You-Know-Who_ should win, it won't be just the Wizarding World he conquers, but the Muggle one as well. And considering how he feels about us, I dare say we'd become extinct under his rule. You-Know-Who's version of The Final Solution." He turned to Rosa. "Do you know much about Muggle history, Miss Infante?"

"A bit. Jimmy's really the expert. He's a big history buff, both Wizarding and Muggle."

"Are you familiar with the name Adolf Hitler?"

"Him? Oh yeah, especially since he actually tried to stick his nose in Wizarding business during the really big Muggle war."

Nathan drew a deep breath. "In my more philosophical moments, I wonder what would have happened if someone actually stood up to that blaggard. But at the time, too many Muggles had memories of the First World War burned into their minds, and were determined not to see a similar conflict come to the continent a second time. So they turned a blind eye to Hitler's persecution of the Jews and other 'undesirables,' his military build-up, his cult of personality. Our weak-kneed Prime Minister at the time allowed one country after another to be signed away to him, all in the hopes of avoiding war. Then on September First, 1939, Hitler invaded Poland. So much for avoiding war. All the signs were there showing what a megalomaniac he was. If Neville Chamberlain showed some backbone in 1938, we may have prevented a war that swept across the globe and cost the lives of over fifty million people."

Nathan paused. "There's a brilliant Muggle quote many attribute to Edmund Burke. 'All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.' I'll not be a man who does nothing when I know a horrific war can be prevented. From the way your Minister Fudge is acting, this is 1938 all over again. I want to do whatever I can to see to it that the Wizarding World doesn't experience its own September First, 1939."

Rosa stood silently, gazing at Commander Nathan Tonks. So did O'Bannon. He also noticed Jared and Artimus staring at him the same way.

"You're a really brave man, Commander Tonks," Rosa said with reverence.

"Brave? No, Miss Infante. I'm simply doing the duty that comes with my rank."

O'Bannon gave a silent, sardonic laugh. Talk about modesty. He wondered if he could be as brave taking part in a wizarding war without the benefit of magic.

Rosa returned to her seat a bit later. They skimmed across the Channel, chatting or eating some of the snacks packed by Andromeda Tonks. O'Bannon just finished a Pumpkin Jam Tart when he looked to the rear of the boat. His eyes stared beyond the darkened waters, imagining the coast of England, and beyond it, Hogwarts. He thought of his friends, the Weasley twins, Lee, Angelina, Ron, Ginny, Harry . . . yes, even Hermione.

Foremost in his mind, though, was Tonks.

He slumped in his seat, ignoring the bouncing of the speedboat.

"You okay, Jimmy?" Rosa asked.

"Huh?" He looked back to her, noting the concern on her face. "Um, yeah, I'm . . ." He cut himself off, knowing he wouldn't be able to fool her.

"Thinking about Tonks, aren't you?"

"How did you know?"

"Heh! Please, I know there was more to you guys than a tryst in the Room of Requirement. You two really liked one another."

O'Bannon sighed. "Yeah, I guess. She was, man, she was just so kick-ass. But, I don't know, I think even when we were doing it, I knew this could never be long term. Not when we live in different countries, not with all this crap going on. Stupid friggin' You-Know-Who and his stupid friggin' war."

Rosa put an arm around his shoulder. "I know it sucks. I really like Tonks, too. She was way cool and I think you two would have been great together."

"Thanks." He bent over, resting his elbows on knees, and groaned.

"Look." Rosa gently rubbed his back. "I can tell you right now that Tonks would not want you moping over her. She'd want you to move on and meet someone else."

"It's gonna be hard finding someone as awesome as Tonks."

Rosa gave him a warm smile. "Jimmy O'Bannon, mark my words, one day you are going to make some woman very, very happy."

"Hey!" Jared hollered. "What about us?" He pointed to him and Artimus.

Rosa exhaled a long breath. "Artimus, you're also going to make some woman very, very happy one day. Jared, you're going to drive whatever woman is stupid or drunk enough to marry you up a wall."

Jared scowled at his cousin and flipped her the delightful digit. O'Bannon couldn't help but laugh.

"You know," Rosa continued. "Tonks was right about you in one respect."

"What, that I have a cute ass?"

Rosa chuckled. "Well, that too. She was, how do the Brits say it, _spot on_ about you being the right man to lead us."

O'Bannon straightened up. "You guys talked about that?"

"Of course. Girls don't keep secrets from one another, especially if it involves a guy we care about."

She slid closer to him. "Jimmy, it doesn't matter if you're a Muggle-born and we're all purebloods. You're our leader. You have been since the four of us have been together. You wanna know why?"

He nodded.

"Because you've earned our trust. That stunt you pulled when the aurors were after us over Hogsmeade, you showed how far you're willing to go for us. And when it seemed nothing was going right for us with this mission, you always tried to find some way to make it work. _You never gave up._ You also inspire people. Do you think any of us could have gone to England and taken a bunch of wizards and witches who never even heard of hockey and turn them into a first-rate team, and more importantly, a close knit group of friends? Friends who'd risk everything to help you? You did that. I think you've shown you're more than ready to lead us into battle."

O'Bannon drew a slow breath and stared at Rosa. Part of him still had a hard time accepting it. Never in his wildest dreams did he picture himself as a wartime leader. Jeez, he was just seventeen. And inspiring people? It was one thing to do it during a hockey game. No one tried to kill you, literally, on the ice. But in a war . . .?

He thought back to Hogwarts, the way the D.A. looked at him during his speech. How all of them, the famous Harry Potter included, were willing to follow him, trust him, take great risks for him. In the end, it all worked out. They'd warned the Order of the Phoenix about the Longathian Tunnel, they all escaped from Hogwarts, and soon they'd be home safe and sound. Headmistress Esmeralda had trusted him to lead this mission, and he'd proved himself worthy of that trust. More importantly, Rosa had told him point blank he was their leader without question. Best friend or not, Rosa would not have said such a thing unless she truly believed it.

_But what about . . ._

He looked across the bouncing speed boat to Artimus and Jared.

"Rosa's right, Jimmy," said Artimus. "I'm with you."

Jared grinned and shrugged. "What, you really think I'm cut out to be the leader? My job is to be the comic relief for this group. Oh yeah, and to also be the group chick magnet."

Rosa groaned and rolled her eyes. "Merlin's beard, why didn't Aunt Liana and Uncle Irving give you up for adoption when you were born?"

"Aw, c'mon, cuz. Think of how boring your life would be without me in it."

"That's boredom I'd gladly live with."

O'Bannon laughed softly, eyeing all three of his friends, friends who'd become more like family. Even more than that now. They'd become comrades-in-arms. He gritted his teeth and held his breath. The responsibility enveloped him. Rosa, Jared and Artimus had just willingly put their lives in his hands.

_What if I mess up? What if I give a wrong order and one of them dies?_

_Then don't mess up._

His face stiffened in determination. He couldn't wish it away any longer. He couldn't yearn for being a regular Muggle any more. The war was on. People depended on him, especially the three sitting in this boat. The time had come to cowboy up and be the leader everyone expected him to be.

**XXXXX**

A couple hours later Nathan cut the engine. The boat bobbed in the water while he pulled out a large flashlight.

"Why did you stop?" Artimus asked.

"Land ho, everyone. We're here."

The quartet stood. Beyond the bow O'Bannon could make out a darkened stretch of beach with some high cliffs nearby.

Nathan clicked the flashlight on and off. Two short flashes, a long one, then a short one. O'Bannon scanned the beach. Several seconds passed before he spotted four flashes; one short, one long, two short.

"That's our cue." Nathan started the engine and made for shore. He stopped when the boat scratched the sandy bottom.

"Well," he turned to face them, "time once again for you Yanks to storm this bunch."

"Huh?" Jared canted his head.

"Sorry. My poor attempt at humor. It's just, well, we've landed at Normandy."

"_The _Normandy?" O'Bannon's jaw dropped. "No friggin' way."

Nathan nodded. "Omaha Beach, in fact."

"Wicked pissah," O'Bannon said breathlessly as he looked around.

"What's so special about Normandy?" Jared stared at O'Bannon, perplexed. "And what's this Omaha Beach?"

"D-Day, Mister Diaz." Nathan's voice became somber. "This was one of the beaches where the Allies landed on Six June, 1944. It marked the beginning of the end of Nazi rule in Europe. Many thousands of Americans, British, Canadians and other allies died to secure this beach and begin the push to Berlin."

A chill went up O'Bannon's spine that had nothing to do with the cold air. He gazed around the beach, thinking of all the movies and documentaries he'd seen about this invasion, "The Great Crusade" as General Eisenhower coined it. His mind wiped away the darkness and created a scene of thousands of olive drab soldiers charging out of the water and into a maelstrom of bullets and explosions.

_My God, I'm standing right where this actually happened._ No doubt some landing craft had plowed through the very same water as Nathan Tonks' speedboat, disgorging dozens of soldiers. How many of them had been killed? How many made it across the beach to fight the Germans?

O'Bannon's legs trembled. He wondered if his friends could truly appreciate what it meant to be at this place. He froze, trying to comprehend the sacrifices of the people who stormed this beach.

That's when the irony hit him.

Fifty odd years after Eisenhower dubbed D-Day "The Great Crusade," Jimmy O'Bannon stood on this very beach in the middle of another great crusade. The crusade against Voldemort and his evil. So many people from various nations died here to help bring about the end of another great evil. Dumbledore's words back at the Tonkses' home came back to him, about sacrifice and loss. How much would he and his friends have to sacrifice to help defeat Voldemort? How much loss would they endure before this war was all over?

"Come on, then." Nathan called out. "I'm sure you lot are anxious to get back to America and have yourselves a hot dog."

"Actually, I got a hankering for another one of those Cinnabons," said Jared. "Hey, Jimmy. They do have those things at other places beside the airport, right?"

"They're all over the place, man. Don't worry. I'll hook you up."

"Sweet!"

They all jumped from the boat and waded ashore. Two silhouettes appeared and walked toward them. Both were tall, but with distinctly feminine shapes. The darkness prevented O'Bannon from seeing their faces.

"Can one of you help a lost traveler?" Nathan stated.

"You are not lost. All roads lead to France."

O'Bannon paused when he heard the counter phrase. That silky French accent. There was something familiar about it.

_Dude, you were around those Beauxbatons chicks for all of last year. After a while they all sounded the same._

"Evening, ladies." Nathan slightly bowed to the approaching witches. "Lieutenant Commander Nathan Tonks, Royal Navy, at your service. Just dropping off some precious cargo."

O'Bannon sidled up next to Nathan and took a good look at the women. The first was just a hair taller than him with short blonde hair cut above the shoulders. She had the sort of muscular yet distinctly feminine frame common to major college volleyball players. And her face. Smooth, angular, flawless. He held his breath. It obviously couldn't be her. But damn if she wasn't almost the spitting image of . . .

"Jimmy?"

A bolt of pure surprise punched through him. Time stopped. The silky voice saying his name echoed through his mind.

Slowly, he turned his head.

_Oh . . . my . . . God._

The second girl was almost the mirror image of the first. The same build, though a couple inches taller. The same face, though with softer features and eyes a bit larger. Instead of wearing hers short like her partner, this girl's hair cascaded well past her shoulders.

It took O'Bannon a few seconds to realize this was not a dream. The girl standing before him was indeed Mireet Miradeaux.

_**NEXT: REUNIONS AND DEPARTURES**_


	24. Reunions And Departures

**CHAPTER 24: REUNIONS AND DEPARTURES**

* * *

_LOCATION: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland._

_TIME FRAME: "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"_

* * *

Grace. That was the word that came to Jimmy O'Bannon's mind as he watched Mireet skate toward the net. She kept her strides measured. Her torso swayed rhythmically from side-to-side. She took the pass from Angelina Johnson easily. Instead of rearing back her stick, she pushed the blade forward, lifting the puck off the ice. Lee Jordan swept up his arm and deflected it . . . barely.

A long breath escaped O'Bannon's lips as the French witch glided around the net and skated back to the little group of students.

_Man, she's a natural._ Her stick handling needed some work, but her skating . . . he could tell she'd been on the ice before.

"Okay. Um . . . Goldstein, Thomas. You're up."

The Ravenclaw and Gryffindor headed toward the net, passing the puck back and forth. O'Bannon tried to keep an eye on them, ready to offer advice. Instead his gaze wandered back to Mireet. He studied her smooth, angular face and the curve of her neck, fully visible with her blond hair tied in a bun.

She was beyond beautiful.

He chuckled inwardly, thinking of all the Muggle stories dealing with witches. With the exception of shows like _Bewitched _and _Sabrina The Teenage Witch, _witches were universally depicted as stooped, withered hags with hairy warts and evil, ear-piercing cackles.

If only those storytellers could get a look at Mireet.

"Oy! Jimmy Boy!" Someone slapped him on the shoulder.

He whipped around to find a smiling Fred Weasley next to him. The lanky redhead leaned into him and whispered, "It's your turn, mate. Or would you rather keep ogling that French bird?"

O'Bannon felt his face flush. Fred shot him a huge-ass grin.

Coughing loudly, O'Bannon turned away from his jackass friend and swallowed, willing any red on his face to disappear.

"Um, Justin. Let's go."

He took a quick glance at Mireet before heading toward the net, Justin Finch-Fletchley to his right. He imagined Mireet staring at him. What was going through her mind? Did she think he was good looking? Did she see him as a manly-man? Did she like that type? She had to. She didn't look like the sort of girl who dated wimpy guys.

_Puck!_

He had to pull up to receive Justin's pass. Lee crouched in front of the net. O'Bannon drew back his stick and lifted one leg in the air. He hoped Mireet thought that looked cool.

The stick slashed through the air. The puck streaked over Lee's shoulder and into the net top shelf.

"Yeah!" O'Bannon pumped a fist and skated around the net, exchanging a high-five with Justin. His eyes sought out Mireet in the little crowd standing at the other end of the frozen pond. She smiled and clapped.

His heart skipped a beat.

They wrapped up the first meeting of the Hogwarts Hockey Club a half-hour later. He stood near the bank, seeing everyone off the ice.

"That was a blast, Jimmy," said an elated Dean Thomas.

"This is almost as fun as Quidditch," Seamus Finnigan told him.

"This was enjoyable," declared the Durmstrang student Harkorth. "I much like to come again."

He was receiving compliments on the hockey club's first meeting from Fred and George when Mireet skated up to him.

"Pardon. I hope I am not interrupting."

He tensed, admiring her beautiful smile.

"I just wanted to thank you for this opportunity. It was very enjoyable."

"Uh, sure. Thanks. Glad you had fun." He shook Mireet's hand, an airy feeling in his chest as he felt the skin of her palm. "You, um, you did good out there. You're, like, a natural."

"_Merci._" Her smile grew brighter. "I have skated before, but I never had to do it holding a stick and trying to hit a, what do you call it again, a _pook?"_

O'Bannon's knees buckled. He never thought the word "puck" could sound so sexy. But with that silky French accent, every word out of Mireet's mouth sounded sexy.

"Well, um, I think if you stick with this, you'll be one heck of a player."

"That is very kind of you to say."

O'Bannon nodded, then glimpsed Fred and George still standing nearby. He gave them a slight tilt of the head, hoping they got the message.

_Beat it._

Fred furrowed his brow, then glanced to his left as Mireet skated up to them. His eyes lit up in understanding.

"Oh. Sorry to be rude, but we'd best be off. We've got that, um, thing to take care of, right, George?"

"Huh?" George followed his twin's gaze to Mireet, then stared back at O'Bannon. "Oh right. That thing. Yes, sorry all. Must dash."

"Pleasure meeting you, Mireet. See you at supper, Jimmy Boy."

Their backs to Mireet, Fred and George winked and grinned at O'Bannon as they stepped off the pond and walked away. He turned to Mireet, mesmerized by her beautiful face. His mind went blank as he tried to come up with something to say.

Thankfully, she spared him the agony.

"So you have played this game for a long time?"

"Uh, yeah. Since I was about four. We also have a league back at my school, the Salem Witches Institute."

"They actually play a Muggle game at your school? That is very rare in the Wizarding World."

"I know. Thankfully, back in the fifties, a couple of Muggle-borns introduced it at Salem, and they've been playing it ever since."

"That is wonderful. I think the Wizarding World needs to be more appreciative of the accomplishments of Muggles, and most especially of Muggle-borns."

"Thank you." O'Bannon did nothing to hide the elation in his voice. "It's nice to hear someone say that every once in a while."

"You are welcome." Mireet smiled and bowed her head slightly.

O'Bannon drew a deep breath, his nervousness fading. "I'm really glad you decided to give this a try."

"Well, hockey is a Muggle activity I have not tried yet."

"You've done other Muggle stuff before?"

"_Oui._ My mother works for our Ministry's Office of Muggle Relations. During the summer when I am not in school she arranges for me to participate in Muggle games and activities. She says it is a good way for me to learn and appreciate how Muggles do things without magic. I have tried gymnastics, ballet, football, tennis."

"Wow." O'Bannon stared at her impressively. "No wonder you did so well here your first time out. You're a natural athlete."

"_Merci. _But you are a very good instructor, too. You were patient with us and did not talk to us like we were imbeciles, unlike the captain of my Quidditch team back at Beauxbatons. She believes the only way to teach and motivate players is by yelling at them. I do not enjoy such a method at all."

"Most people would probably quit rather than put up with that."

"I do not quit." Mireet's face stiffened. "I would never give someone like our captain the satisfaction of knowing she can affect me like that."

O'Bannon's eyes widened, admiring this witch's spirit. After so many years of being friends with Rosa, he'd grown very fond of strong women.

"Cool." Inwardly he winced. He should have come up with something better, deeper, than a simple "cool."

"So, um, what position do you play? In Quidditch."

"Oh. I am a Beater."

O'Bannon's eyebrows went up in surprise. Very few women played Beater. But Mireet had a good build for that position. She was buff, but in a distinctly feminine way.

"I was hoping I could try out for one of the house teams here," she continued. "But then they announced they would not have Quidditch this year because of the Tri-Wizard Tournament." She crinkled her nose in annoyance. Moments later her features brightened again. "But I hope you will continue with this hockey club."

"Oh heck yeah, I will. This is actually turning out to be the best chance I've had to make friends around here."

"Yes, I imagine that would be hard for someone coming from very far away."

O'Bannon frowned slightly. "Yeah, that and, well, I didn't really start out endearing myself to the Brits."

"Why not?"

"Run of bad luck. It seemed like every time I turned around, I did something to cost Gryffindor points. They take the whole points thing here very seriously, and the Gryffindors weren't too happy with me for costing them so many points."

"I am sorry to hear that. I hope things are getting better for you."

"Oh, they are. Fred and George really helped smooth things over between me and the other Gryffindors. A couple months ago, I didn't want to have anything to do with this place. Now I'm likin' it here."

"I am hoping to have an enjoyable time at Hogwarts as well. I want to meet as many people as possible, unlike some of my classmates. Many of my classmates prefer to associate with each other and stay in our carriage. Some, though, do that because they do not speak English well."

"You speak it very well."

"_Merci. _My parents worked abroad quite a bit for our Ministry of Magic when I was little. They insisted I learn the language of whatever country we lived in. Besides English, I can also speak Spanish, Russian and passable Greek."

O'Bannon drew his head back in awe. Damn, she can speak _five_ languages. _And here I got enough trouble with English._

"Unfortunately," Mireet continued. "The language barrier is not the only reason some of my classmates choose to insulate themselves from the Hogwarts and Durmstrang students. They simply feel it is a waste of time getting to know them. That there is nothing worthwhile they can offer us. But I believe that friendship _is _something worthwhile. How else can we learn that people are people no matter what country they come from?"

O'Bannon couldn't move. He simply stared unblinking at Mireet. His insides soared. His mind nearly railed against the reality before him. Could there really be a girl walking the face of the Earth with such a combination of beauty, athleticism, kindness, strength and intelligence?

_Mireet Miradeaux, will you marry me?_

"Jimmy!"

O'Bannon blinked. His memories of the first day he met Mireet vanished. The frozen pond and late afternoon from a year-and-a-half ago was replaced by the beach and the darkness of the present. Shock still gripped him as Mireet flung her arms around him and kissed him on both cheeks. Electric tingles raced up and down his spine. He reveled in the sensation of holding her firm body and the feeling her thick, soft hair pressed against his cheek.

"I can't believe it is really you." She looked at him with a huge smile.

His mouth opened and closed silently. It took a couple attempts before he rediscovered his voice. "Mi-Mireet? Oh my God, Mireet! What . . . what are you doing here?"

"I am one of your contacts from _Force d'Vigilant."_

"Actually, _I_ was supposed to be your _only_ contact here." The other French witch strode over to them. "But my little sister refused to stop her incessant whining unless she accompanied me."

"I will not gain practical experience sitting in my room back at Beauxbatons. Besides, I am of age now, and this is not a very dangerous mission_."_

"_All_ missions for _Force d'Vigilant _are dangerous," the other girl said sternly.

Mireet narrowed her eyes at her.

"Um, so this is your sister?" O'Bannon nodded to the other French witch.

"_Oui,"_ Mireet replied. "This is Monique. Monique, this is Jimmy O'Bannon."

Monique gave him a rather appraising stare. "So this is the American wizard you always talk about."

An airy feeling formed in O'Bannon's chest. _Mireet always talks about me?_

"It's, ah, nice to meet you, Monique." He stuck out his hand. After staring at it for a couple seconds, an unsmiling Monique shook it.

"Oh, and these are my friends. Jared Diaz, Rosa Infante and Artimus Rand."

"I feel like I know you already." Mireet walked over to them and shook their hands. "Jimmy spoke of you all so much when we were at Hogwarts."

"Only good things, I hope," Rosa said with a wry grin.

"But of course."

Rosa shifted her eyes to O'Bannon and nodded slightly, her sign for, "I like this girl." Jared and Artimus, meanwhile, gawked at Mireet . . . and her older sister as well. He expected drool to spill from their mouths.

_Well, I probably looked the same way when I first saw Mireet._

"This is where I part ways, I'm afraid," said Lieutenant Commander Nathan Tonks. He gave O'Bannon and his friends hearty handshakes. "It was a pleasure meeting you all. Take care."

With a slight bow, Nathan turned on his heel and marched back to the speedboat. A couple minutes later it sliced through the darkened waters back to England.

"Come." Monique waved at them. "The port key is this way. Everyone have your wands out. I want us to be prepared if we encounter trouble."

Monique led them up the beach. Before long the sand was replaced by a rocky path.

"I did not realize you and your friends would be the ones we would be taking to the port key," Mireet said to O'Bannon as they walked side-by-side. "What were you doing in England?"

He gave her a quick summary of their battles with the aurors, hiding in Hogwarts and warning the Order of the Phoenix about the Longathian Tunnel and Voldemort's reinforcements. He made sure to leave out the part with him and Tonks sleeping together.

"Jimmy, that is amazing." Mireet's eyes widened.

"To be honest, I think we were more lucky than amazing."

"Nonetheless, that was incredibly brave." She lowered her head for a moment and bit her lower lip. "I only hope, if I am ever in that kind of situation, I can be half as brave as you."

"What?" O'Bannon whipped his head toward her, his face crinkled in bewilderment. "Mireet, you're with a group that's opposing one of the most powerful dark wizards in history. That alone makes you brave."

"_Merci."_ She gave him a warm smile.

The path curved and grew a bit steep.

"So," O'Bannon said. "How are things with you?"

"I am well. I have been helping my sister with some tasks for _Force d'Vigilant _since I turned seventeen. Nothing of major importance, though. I will not be a full-fledged member until after I graduate from Beauxbatons."

"So you know what you wanna do after graduation? I mean, along with joining _Force d'Vigilant?"_

"I am hoping to work for our Ministry of Magic. Perhaps something that involves traveling abroad. Maybe if I am lucky, I can come to America and visit you."

O'Bannon sucked in a quick breath. He shivered with excitement. "That would be cool. I could take you to a Bruins game."

"I think that would be fun." Mireet smiled again. "What about you? What will you do after graduation?"

"Me? Well, I'll be joining the Guild of the Light. You know, our version of _Force d'Vigilant. _Job-wise, well . . . a, um, good friend of mine told me I'd make a good auror."

"Really?"

"Yup. I've done some thinking on it and . . . I think I'm gonna go for it."

"That is wonderful, Jimmy. I think you will make an excellent auror."

"Thanks. I just gotta get my grades up. Well, I'm fine with Defense Against The Dark Arts and Charms. Transfiguration needs a bit of work. And Potions? Heh! Let's not even go there. Rosa and Jared told me the U.S. Aurors Bureau does the same as the British when it comes to recruiting. They want Exceeds Expectations or higher in all those classes before they even look at you. Acceptable is the best I've ever done at Potions."

"I am confident you will succeed."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Here we are." Monique pointed her lighted wand at a rock outcropping. Sitting atop it was an old bicycle tire. Or rather, it resembled a bicycle tire. O'Bannon knew wizards disguised port keys as discarded Muggle objects.

He turned to face Mireet, whose lovely face sagged.

"This was much too short of a reunion," she said.

"Yeah, it was."

Mireet drew a slow breath. "Please be careful, Jimmy. These are dangerous times we live in."

He reached out and gently grasped her arm. "You be careful too."

They kissed each other on both cheeks and hugged.

"_Au revoir, _Jimmy."

"_Au revoir, _Mireet."

He forced himself to take a step back from her. Moments later he took another. He kept walking backwards, not wanting to take his eyes off Mireet, not wanting to leave her, the same way he didn't want to leave Tonks.

Someone slapped him on the shoulder. He turned to find Rosa next to him, and Jared and Artimus behind her. He'd been so captivated by Mireet he hadn't even heard them approach.

Rosa gave him a sympathetic smile and nodded to the port key. O'Bannon's shoulders slumped. He sighed and frowned.

With one final wave to Mireet, he turned and followed his friends to the port key.

"Well, gang," Jared said. "Next stop, the Good Ol' U.S. of A."

The quartet reached out and put a hand on the tire. O'Bannon took one more glance at Mireet. She smiled at him, though her chin trembled a bit. Monique folded her arms and shot him a penetrating stare.

He just started wondering about Monique's attitude when the world blurred. An invisible force pulled him forward. Wind screamed in his ears. He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. The skin on his face rippled as he flew faster and faster.

Suddenly he stopped. His feet slammed on the ground. He opened his eyes and glanced around. Rosa, Jared and Artimus stood around him. The port key lay on the ground.

"Are we there yet?" Jared shook his head and blinked hard.

O'Bannon swung his head in all directions. He noticed darkened woods to his left. To his right was a grassy expanse leading to a small rise.

"C'mon." He waved his friends to follow him to the rise.

"You sure we're back in Massachusetts?" Artimus scanned the area around them.

"We better be," Jared groused. "Though watch. With our luck, the French messed up that port key and landed us in, like, Arizona or something."

O'Bannon released a slow breath. That would be their luck, to have a malfunction with the port key.

_Please. Just let this one thing go our way._

They reached the top of the rise. O'Bannon held his breath. The silhouette of a little town lay before him. Several windows were lit up. His heart beat faster as he recognized several buildings. The pointy roof of Willoughby's Wonderful World of Robes. The gothic towers of Mowane's Manor of Magical Merchants. The colonial-style structure housing The Warlock's Watering Hole tavern.

A smile spread over O'Bannon's face. He was staring at the little wizarding town of Ovenderburg, located right next to the Salem Witches Institute.

They were home.

The quartet jumped and cheered and exchanged back slaps and hugs and high fives.

"I swear," a beaming Artimus said. "There were times I thought I'd never see this place again."

"Dude, join the club." O'Bannon squeezed his friend's shoulder.

"C'mon." Rosa nodded in the direction of the school. "We'd better check in with Headmistress Esmeralda. She'll probably be happy to know we're back."

"Hell, _I'm_ happy we're back." Jared bounced on the balls of his feet.

The quartet jogged down the crest and set off at a brisk pace toward Salem.

O'Bannon looked over his shoulder, his mind projecting him to the spot where the port key landed them, and beyond it to Europe. Images flashed through his head. Him hugging Mireet. Him making love to Tonks. A collage of memories involving both girls exploded in his mind.

_How can I feel this way about two women at the same time?_

He chewed on the inside of his cheek. Yes, he liked Tonks, cared about her a lot. But even he had to admit, had it not been for the dire situation they faced at Hogwarts, they probably never would have wound up in bed together.

He would always have a place in his heart for Tonks, and their night together would always be special. But he wasn't sure he could go as far as saying he loved her.

Mireet, on the other hand . . .

"You're still thinking about them, aren't you?"

Rosa's voice snapped him out of his reverie. He turned to her, noticing that very familiar look of concern on her face.

O'Bannon sighed. Even after seven years, it still amazed him how Rosa could read him so well. Him and Jared and Artimus.

"Yeah, well, you know me. When I fall for a girl, I fall hard."

"And you know me. I'm always there to pick up the pieces." Rosa gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

He smiled as an arm wrapped around his shoulder. It belonged to Jared.

"Man, we have got to set you up with a hot, sexy gorgeous red-blooded All-American witch. You know, someone who doesn't live on another continent."

O'Bannon couldn't help but chuckle.

"Before we do that," Rosa said, "we have work to do."

"What are you talking about?" Jared's brow furrowed.

"We have to help get Jimmy's Potions grades up." She gave him a knowing stare. "I mean, that is if you want to be an auror."

"What?" Artimus gaped at him. "You want to be an auror?"

"Whoa, no way!" Jared blurted. "Wicked pissah!"

O'Bannon canted his head at Rosa. "How did you know that?"

Rosa smiled and shrugged. "I overheard you and Mireet talking. Sorry, but as an auror, you have to be observant of your surroundings."

"Bullcrap!" Jared made a face at his cousin. "You're just nosy."

"Yeah, that too." Rosa nudged O'Bannon. "So?"

He walked in silence for several seconds, eyes locked on Rosa. Finally, he grinned. "Looks like I'm gonna be crackin' the books big time between now and graduation."

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	25. Where The Fault Lies

**CHAPTER 25: WHERE THE FAULT LIES**

* * *

_(Three Months Later)_

**HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE NAMED RETURNS**

Jimmy O'Bannon gazed at the headline in _The All-Seeing Eye_ as he stood in the middle of his dorm room. His jaw slowly worked back and forth as he read the story for the fourth time today. Finally, after nearly a year, the truth had come out. Part of him wanted to be happy. How long had he spent trying to convince his classmates at Salem that Harry Potter had been telling the truth about Voldemort's return? How much ridicule and abuse had he taken? Now he was vindicated. He should feel happy.

But how could anyone feel happy with the most powerful and evil dark wizard in history walking the earth again?

He nodded in satisfaction as he read the accounts, taken straight from _The Daily Prophet _in Britain, of how Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, even Luna and Neville, took on a group of Death Eaters in the Ministry of Magic, and kicked ass.

_Go D.A._

He was also glad to see the wizarding public no longer viewed Harry as some demented attention seeking whackjob. Even better, Dumbledore had been reinstated as Headmaster of Hogwarts, which meant that hag Dolores Umbridge had been kicked to the curb, deservedly so. As for Minister Fudge, from what O'Bannon read in _The All-Seeing Eye,_ that dumbass would probably be looking for a new job soon. He prayed the Brits would get a more competent witch or wizard to head up their Ministry.

_That shouldn't be hard. Hagrid's dog would make a better Minister of Magic than Fudge._

He folded the newspaper and tossed it on his rolltop desk. His eyes flickered from _The All-Seeing Eye_ to the piece of parchment next to it. A frustrated sigh burst from his nostrils. His lips twisted as he stared intently at the parchment, which bore his results from the National Examination on Wizarding Knowledge, the NEWKs. He scanned each line slowly.

CHARMS: OUTSTANDING

TRANSFIGURATION: EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS

DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS: OUTSTANDING

SEVENTH YEAR SEMINAR: EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS

THEORETICAL MAGIC: EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS

HISTORY OF MAGIC: OUTSTANDING

His eyes then settled on the one line that made his insides sink into a dank pit of despair.

POTIONS: POOR

O'Bannon's shoulders rose and fell in angry breaths. His mind propelled him back to the week before, sitting in the Potions classroom, with an hour to make three different potions. He had some trouble making the Burn-Healing Paste, but eventually got it right. The Draught of Living Death was another matter. He forgot how many counter-clockwise stirs to make before stirring clockwise. To add to his troubles, he didn't put in enough juice of sopophorous beans. Instead of the blue steam normally produced when stirring, his cauldron unleashed a noxious red smoke that choked the entire class before the Potions teacher, Mister Korvette, used a Dispersing Charm and berated him for his incompetence.

As he prepared to concoct his third potion, one phrase ran through his mind. _I can't screw up. I can't screw up._

As an athlete, he knew better. When you started thinking you can't fail, you usually did. But his whole future depended on making the Eyesight Restoration Elixir. He needed an Exceeds Expectations or better to qualify for auror training. Tonks believed he could do it. So did Rosa and Jared and Artimus. He had to prove their faith in him wasn't misplaced. He could not fail.

All attempts to keep his nervousness at bay proved futile. He couldn't remember which stirring spoon to use for the elixir, iron or wood. He couldn't remember how many falcon feathers to use, or how much Oclivior Root extract to put in. As a result, his potion boiled over and covered the table with a rigid, crusty substance.

_So much for being an auror._

O'Bannon kicked his chair, knocking it over. "Dammit!" He fell hard onto the edge of his bed, scowling at the floor. Tonks' voice echoed in his mind, telling him how he had all the makings of an auror. He punched his mattress, glad she hadn't been in the Potions classroom that day.

He briefly considered asking Rosa if her parents or Jared's mother could put in some kind of word for him with the U.S. Auror's Bureau. After all, he had passed all his other subjects with flying colors. They also knew, after his exploits in Ovenderburg and England, that he could hold his own in a fight.

But he nixed that idea. He didn't like seeing people get positions they didn't deserve because of family connections or having friends in high places. He'd be damned if he'd go that route himself.

So that was that. Jimmy O'Bannon would not become an auror.

He sat brooding for a good long time before he finally glanced at his watch. 1:15. With a grunt, he got up and snatched his robes off his bedpost. He put them on, slammed the door to his room shut and pounded down the wooden steps of Blazenrowe Hall until he reached the foyer.

"Quit making that racket, young man." A bearded wizard in one of the moving portraits on the maple-paneled wall scolded him.

"Light steps," urged dark-haired witch with a frilly ankle-length dress in another portrait. "Light steps."

O'Bannon muttered several four-letter words under his breath as he shoved open the front door and stomped outside. A rolling lawn and lush green trees greeted him. Colonial-style buildings of various sizes dotted the grounds that made up the Salem Witches Institute. Sunlight sparkled off the surface of the large lake. He spotted a large knot of students by the shore, cheering as two students sped around the lake on their brooms. With final exams behind them, the student body could finally unwind and enjoy themselves.

_Well, most of the student body._

O'Bannon turned away from the crowd, shoved his hands into his pockets and stormed along the dirt path to the Priscilla Primrose Communal Hall. When he arrived at the red barn-like structure, he saw a large blue banner hanging over the entrance. The brilliant gold lettering read, SWI JOB FAIR TODAY FROM 1-3. Other golden words appeared and faded on the banner, advertising the various careers represented inside.

He snorted as he stared at the banner. _Maybe it should read, "Options for losers who have no idea what the hell to do."_

O'Bannon had geared himself up for the past three months to be an auror. He never even entertained the notion of having a back-up career in case he didn't get the required grades. Failure had not been option.

_Well, I failed. So now what? _

With a sigh, he shoved open the door to the Communal Hall.

"Ah, welcome, Mister O'Bannon." The ghost of a heavyset woman with an apron and her hair in a bun swooped down to greet him. "Welcome."

"Hey," he muttered to Priscilla Primrose, one of the founders of the Salem Witches Institute.

"So, still trying to decide on a career, eh?" the ghost asked cheerily. "Best not to dawdle. Only two days before graduation."

O'Bannon just grunted, his face wrinkling in annoyance. He picked up his pace, hoping Priscilla wouldn't follow him.

He moved from one table to another, examining the brochures, trying to find something that interested him.

LEARN THE TRADE OF BROOM-MAKING FROM THE BEST. IGBY'S INCREDIBLE EMPORIUM OF BROOMS SEEKING ENTRY-LEVEL APPLICANTS.

KEEP OUR CAULDRONS QUALITY. COLBERT'S CAULDRON COMPANY HIRING INSPECTORS. PRIOR EXPERIENCE NOT NECESSARY.

RAND'S REALM OF MAGICAL NECESSITIES SEEKING SALES ASSOCIATES FOR SHOPS IN MASSACHUSETTS, PENNSYLVANIA AND VIRGINIA.

O'Bannon chuckled sardonically at that one. _Yeah. Like I'd ever want to work for Artimus' dad. Like he'd ever even hire me._

He just passed a table advertising for the Department of Magic's Office of Magical Standards and Measurements without even glancing at a brochure when a familiar voice called to him.

"Jimmy!"

He looked to the row of tables across from him. His eyes lit up in recognition at the two witches waving to him. One was stocky with short dark hair, the other slender and striking jet black hair falling past her shoulders.

"Hey, Mrs. Diaz. Mrs. Infante." He walked across the hall to Jared's mom and Rosa's mom. He slowed his pace when he saw the banner hanging in front of their table. Blue with a white shield and two crossed wands, the symbol of the United States Aurors Bureau.

O'Bannon's eyes fell to the floor. Like he really needed another reminder of his failure.

"Last minute job hunting, huh?" said Adelaide Infante.

"Yeah," he grumbled, looking at his shoes instead of Rosa's mom.

"Jimmy," Liana Diaz said with an insistent tone.

He raised his head. Both witches gave him sympathetic looks.

"Come here." Mrs. Diaz waved him to come closer to the table. He approached as the two witches came round the table.

"Now look." Mrs. Diaz put an arm around his shoulders. "I know you had your heart set on being an auror, and I know how hard you worked toward that goal."

"Yeah. All that hard work for nothing."

"Jimmy," Mrs. Infante began. "You have to stop beating yourself up. It won't do you any good."

He shook his head. "It's just . . . I keep thinking of all the people who said I'd make a good auror. I never even thought about becoming an auror until Tonks brought it up. She had all this faith in me and . . . and I couldn't even get through the stupid Potions part of NEWKs." He snorted. "Couldn't get through it, I totally botched it. I had Rosa and Jared and Artimus helping me with Potions for the last three months. And for what? All I did was waste their time and let everyone down."

"First of all, Jimmy," Mrs. Diaz said sternly. "You did not waste their time, and you certainly did not let anyone down. You gave it your best shot."

"Well, my best wasn't good enough, was it?"

"Hey." Mrs. Diaz tightened her grip around his shoulder. "Stop beating yourself up. Just because you can't become an auror doesn't make you worthless. What you did in Ovenderburg and England proves that."

"You're going to be a valuable addition to the Guild of the Light," Mrs. Infante smiled at him, "whether you can make a proper Sight Restoration Elixir or not."

"Yeah, I guess."

Mrs. Diaz rubbed his shoulder in a motherly manner. "Look, I'm sure if you look hard enough around here, you can find something you're good at and that you'll enjoy."

"You know, my brother has a table down there for the Department's Bureau for the Management of Magical Creatures." Mrs. Infante nodded toward to the thickly built, balding form of Irving Diaz, who stood behind a table further down the Communal Hall. "He has a few job openings. It may not be auror work, but dealing with magical creatures can be pretty exciting."

A brief smile crossed his lips. A comment like that made it easy to see where Rosa got her adventurous spirit from.

"Yeah, I'll think about it. Thanks."

After an exchange of hugs with the two witches, O'Bannon ambled his way down the Communal Hall. He stopped by Mr. Diaz's table and listened politely to his pitch.

"I can see you in a few years being part of my team. Merlin knows I'd love to have you." He referred to SMACRAT, the Special Magical Creature Action Team, his elite group charged with neutralizing any beasts that pose an immediate threat to the wizarding population. O'Bannon had to admit the prospect sounded interesting, but he had his heart set on taking down dark wizards, not reptoids or werewolves.

He thanked Jared's dad, accepted a brochure and moved on.

_Crap, what am I going to do? _He thought back to his First Year at Salem, when magic was new and exciting to him. He probably would have jumped at the chance to do _any_ job that had anything to do with magic. Now, at age seventeen, with two days left until graduation, he was surrounded by dozens of magical jobs, and not a single one interested him.

What the hell happened to that wide-eyed eleven-year-old who saw the Wizarding World as nothing but wondrous?

_Reality fell on him like a brick wall._

O'Bannon frowned as he passed more tables without stopping. The rest of his merry band had jobs lined up. Rosa, of course, aced her NEWKs and would be heading off to auror training. Jared accepted a position with the Magical Museum of North America's foreign expedition division.

"I'm basically gonna be like that _ark-log-ist_ with the whip from that movie you showed me," Jared had told him. "Um, what is it? Montana Jones?"

Finally, Artimus got a job with the Department of Magic, but wouldn't tell any of them what it was.

"I'll tell you after graduation," he'd told them. "It's gonna be a surprise."

So that left him the odd man out.

He lifted his head as he came to the end of the row of tables. A banner caught his eye that made him halt.

YOUNG WIZARDS AND WITCHES ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION.

His eyes moved past the banner to the girl sitting at the table. She didn't look much older than him, had a trim figure with mocha skin, a clear complexion and dark hair that ended just above her shoulders. He made his way over.

"Hi there." The girl smiled at him. She had a very shiny, very pretty smile. "Interested in working with young witches and wizards?"

"Maybe." He returned her smile. He had no idea if this would work out or not, but at least talking to a hot girl wouldn't be a waste of time. "What would I be doing with them?"

"Oh, all sorts of things. We have year-round activities for pre-school age witches and wizards like beginning broom flying, Quidditch basics, and more advanced activities for students during their winter and summer breaks. You look like a pretty athletic type. I'd bet you'd make a good instructor."

O'Bannon raised an eyebrow, wondering if the girl was flirting with him.

"Well, I was captain of my dorm's hockey team this year."

"Hockey?" She wrinkled her brow. "Oh yeah. That's that Muggle game they play on ice. My uncle told me about it once. He was the Wizarding Ambassador to Britain last year when some exchange student set up a game at Hogwarts."

O'Bannon's eyes widened. He drew his head back in surprise. "No way. Your uncle is Ambassador Laribee?"

"You know him?"

"Yeah. He was there to watch that game at Hogwarts. That's where I met him. I'm the Muggle who put the whole thing together."

"Merlin's beard, I don't believe it." The girl gaped and she stood up. "You're Jimmy O'Bannon?"

"Guilty as charged." He smiled and extended his hand.

"Talia Laribee." She shook his hand. "I work in the Activities Department of the YWW-Triple-A in Washington. You know, we have a couple Muggle-borns in our place that are looking to put together a program of Muggle sports. You know, show everyone what it's like to play games without magic. I think you could really help with that."

Fifteen minutes later he walked out of the Communal Hall with a huge smile and a job. He received big hugs from Mrs. Diaz and Mrs. Infante and a hearty slap on back from Mr. Diaz. He still wasn't completely over the fact he didn't qualify for auror training, but at least he had a job doing something he loved. Sports.

_And you didn't think you be doing anything with hockey beyond Salem._

He strode toward the large crowd at the lake watching the broom races. His eyes scanned the mass of students until he spotted Rosa, Jared and Artimus, who jumped and cheered as a broom flown by Dante Marshall crossed the finish line.

"Guys! Yo, guys!" He raced over to them. By the time he reached them, they'd been joined by Dante, a stocky black kid who played on the Blazenrowe hockey team. O'Bannon told them all about his new job with the YWWAAA.

"Wicked pissah!" Jared beamed. "So it looks like we're all gonna be in Washington. Well, except for those times when I'm off gallivanting around the globe uncovering the mysteries of the Wizarding World."

"Just rub it in, Diaz." Dante gave him a mock scowl. "I still got one more year before I graduate."

"Yeah, but at least you'll probably spend it as captain of the hockey team." O'Bannon smiled at him. "I did put in a good word for you with Headmistress Esmeralda."

"You're the man, Jimmy." Dante high-fived him.

"So this girl who gave you the job," Jared began. "Was she hot?"

O'Bannon opened his mouth to answer in the affirmative. But somebody called his name before he could speak.

"Hey, O'Bannon!"

He turned around to see a large group of students headed his way. He recognized many of them. Wilbur Walden, Calvin Frissell, Eli Witting, Abigail Aguirre and Ursa Oberlin. At the forefront was a tall boy with close-cropped dark hair and tanned skin. Darius Forten, the guy who dated Blazenrowe Seeker Rana Rollingsworth before O'Bannon's brief, disastrous relationship with her.

He twisted his lips as they approached. Everyone in this group had one thing in common. None of them had believed him when he warned You-Know-Who was back. Because of it, quite a few of these witches and wizards had not spoken to him since the beginning of the school year.

"Yeah?" O'Bannon locked eyes on Darius.

The boy's shoulders slumped. "Um, look, man. It's . . . well, I guess you saw _The All-Seeing Eye_ today."

"Yeah, I did. Pretty interesting story on the front page. Not that it was news to me."

"Yeah, well . . ." Darius cleared his throat before continuing. "Look, Jimmy, all of us . . ." He nodded to the others behind him. "We just wanted to say we're sorry for not believing you, and for all the crap we gave you about this."

"You've always been straight with us," Eli said. "I guess after all the stories we heard about what You-Know-Who and his gang did in the first war, we just didn't want to believe he could be back, that he'd be doing all that stuff again. We should have known you wouldn't lie about something like that."

"What do you say, man?" Darius extended his hand.

O'Bannon stared at it. He didn't want to accept their apology. He wanted to know why they hadn't felt this way at the beginning of the school year. He wanted to know why they took the word of reporters they didn't know instead of their classmate of seven years. Why had they ridiculed him? Why had they shunned him? Why had he risked his life and the lives of his friends in Ovenderburg and England for a bunch of people who thought him a gullible Muggle-born who spread lies?

He glanced around at his friends. Jared folded his arms and glared at Darius and the others. He looked ready for a verbal throw down. Rosa, Artimus and Dante, however, appeared more forgiving.

O'Bannon looked back to Darius' group. A blow-up gathered behind his teeth, ready to be unleashed.

But the angry outburst never came. Because that's what Voldemort would want. He wanted friends to turn on one another. He wanted discord and mistrust.

O'Bannon closed his eyes and swallowed his anger. This might be one small, insignificant front in the overall war against Lord Voldemort, but it was _his_ front, and he would not lose it.

"Apology accepted." He clasped Darius' hand. That started a big round of apologies and handshakes and a few hugs.

He just released Abigail from an embrace when he heard a familiar, arrogant-sounding voice.

"Oh, isn't this lovely."

He turned to find a young man and woman striding toward him. His lips twisted when he recognized them. Merak Mather and his pet harpy – _I mean, girlfriend – _Sondra Weaver.

"You here for the apology party too, Mather." Jared shot him a distrustful look.

Mather ignored him, all his attention on O'Bannon. "Well, you were right, weren't you? You-Know-Who is back. Are you happy?"

"What, that a psycho nutjob dark wizard is back and ready to start another war? Oh yeah, that makes me _soooo_ happy." O'Bannon leaned forward a bit. "By the way, just so you know, that was sarcasm."

Sondra's face wrinkled in disgust. She shook her head. "Go ahead and make jokes. This new war, just like the last one, is all on your head."

"Huh?" He canted his head in puzzlement.

"I've been talking with Sondra all morning about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's return. She came up with some very interesting observations. The more I think about it, the more I believe she's right."

"Oh please, enlighten us," Jared scoffed. "I so want to hear your girlfriend's pearls of wisdom."

Sondra scowled at him. So did Mather, who responded, "Sondra believes, and I concur, that the blame for the last war and this one lies squarely at the feet of your kind." His narrow eyes targeted O'Bannon.

"What in the bloody name of Bartholomew Blazenrowe are you talking about?" His face scrunched in bewilderment.

"You! You Muggle-borns! You're the reason You-Know-Who started the last war, and why he's going to pick up where he left off."

"What!?" Jared's voice went up an octave.

"You're crazy, man." Dante shook his head, while Artimus stood in shocked silence.

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Rosa glared at Merak Mather.

"I wouldn't expect any of you to believe it." Mather's eyes swept over Jared, Rosa, Artimus and Dante. "Not the way you worship at O'Bannon's feet."

"I don't believe it because it's a crock," Jared blurted. "Muggle-borns are responsible for the Big War? Excuse me, but wasn't it You-Know-Who who started it?"

"And why did he start it?" Mather pointed at Jared to emphasize his point. "What was You-Know-Who's primary reason for trying to take over the world?"

"The fact he's a megalomaniac," said Rosa.

"That's the simplistic answer. He wanted to rule the Wizarding World because he viewed it as impure. And what made it impure in his mind? Muggle-borns. Statistics show there has been a steady rise in the number of Muggle-borns on every continent over the past one hundred years. And look what happens when those people come into our world? They bring their deranged ideas and values with them. Sixty years ago who would have dreamed of Muggle-borns running for political office or outlawing physical punishments in schools or establishing laws forbidding the killing of garden gnomes or playing hockey at a wizarding school. We'd gotten along fine for hundreds of years before _they_ foisted those things on us. Do you really think all _real _witches and wizards would be happy with those kinds of changes to _our _society? You have to expect some of them to resort to drastic measures to protect the Wizarding World. Therefore, if Muggle-borns would have been content with simply knowing their place and not meddle in things they know nothing about, You-Know-Who would never have felt the need to start the Big War."

"Shut up."

O'Bannon's head snapped in the direction of the voice. He also noticed Jared, Rosa and Dante, all with wide eyes, staring in the same direction. They all locked on Artimus, who gazed at Mather with a mixture of anger and trepidation.

"What did you say to me, Rand?"

"I . . . I said shut up. You don't know what you're talking about." Artimus' words came out in a torrent, one that had been building for seven years, if not all of his life. "If you want to blame someone for the war, blame You-Know-Who. He started it. Not Muggle-borns like Jimmy. He's been the best friend I could ever ask for. And . . . And the Wizarding World is better off having someone like him in it. That goes for pretty much all the other Muggle-borns here."

O'Bannon nearly burst inside. He noticed huge smiles spread across Jared's and Rosa's faces. My God, it actually happened. Seven years of prodding, of encouraging, of hoping, and their friend had finally done it.

Artimus Rand finally stood up to somebody.

Mather chuckled humorlessly and shook his head. "No wonder your father considers you the biggest disappointment in the Rand family."

Artimus sucked on his lip, his eyes narrowing at Mather.

"If anyone's a disappointment around here, it's you, Mather." Rosa practically spat out the words. "You're a disappointment to the whole human race."

"I . . . I don't care what my . . . my father thinks about me." Artimus' voice wavered.

"You don't care?" Mather chortled as he folded his arms. "Well, I'm sure you'll change your mind soon enough." He glanced at Sondra, who had a hand over her mouth as she snickered.

"What . . . what do you mean?" Artimus' neck muscles twitched.

"You know my father has friends in the Department of Magic. They're always getting together for cocktails or to take in a Quidditch match. Always talking about the latest happenings. My father owled me the other day with an interesting tidbit he heard from Flavius Fornlaven, the Deputy Secretary for Magical Education. It's all about the job you got at the Department. You know our fathers cross paths quite a bit. I'm sure my father has already told yours about the particular office you'll be working in. I wish I could have been there to see the look on Mister Rand's face when he found out."

The color drained from Artimus' face.

"Well, good luck explaining that to him." Mather held out his arm in front of him. Sondra Weaver snaked her arm around his. They both smirked and walked away.

Artimus stared at the ground, his body quivering.

"Art. You okay?" Rosa put an arm around him.

"C'mon, man." Jared slapped him on the shoulder. "Don't let Mather get to you like that. The guy's a dick."

"What did he mean by all that?" O'Bannon approached Artimus. "What kind of job did you get at the Department of Magic that would piss off your father?"

Artimus sighed, his shoulders sagging. Several long seconds passed before he looked up and told everyone where he would be working.

"Oooooh boy." O'Bannon's jaw hung open.

"Yeah, I can see where your dad wouldn't like that," Jared said.

"Were you planning to tell him?" asked Rosa.

"Yes," Artimus replied softly.

"When?"

Artimus chewed on his lip for a moment. "After graduation. Once I moved out."

* * *

_**NEXT: **__What is Artimus' controversial new job at the Department of Magic? Find out in "Ceremonies," the final chapter of _Dark Horizon. _Coming soon._


	26. Ceremonies

**CHAPTER 26: CEREMONIES**

* * *

_My God. This is it._

Reality slammed into O'Bannon as he marched across the lawn with the rest of the Seventh Years. He stared past the pointy hats worn by the other students to the lake beyond. Rows of chairs stretched along the shore, all facing a wooden stage. Most of the chairs were occupied by witches and wizards in formal dress, with a sprinkling of people in nice Muggle clothes, his parents certainly among them. One section remained empty, the section reserved for his class.

He tuned out the regal marching music produced by a magical phonograph and scanned the campus of the Salem Witches Institute. Had it really been seven years? Seven years since he stepped off the _Salem Schooner_ and eagerly began learning the ways of the Wizarding World? Everywhere his gaze fell held some kind of memory.

The Quidditch field, where he had his very first broom lesson. O'Bannon half-smiled, half-grimaced as he remembered plowing into Merak Mather, resulting in concussions for both of them. That was followed by Mather ranting about how Muggle-borns have, "no business on brooms, or in the Wizarding World period."

The tall oak near Jingosocke Hall. He sighed with happily as he flashed back to the middle of his Third Year and his first real kiss. Evelyn McAllister, another Muggle-born. He wondered what it would be like to kiss her now, as in the four years since she had filled out in all the right places.

The hockey pond. Oh yes, the hockey pond. Blazenrowe Hall may not have won the Brunet/Glynn Cup this year, the year of his captaincy, but he had two other championship years to cherish, along with all the awesome wizards and witches he played with and against.

The fat bush with pink flowers on the path leading toward the woods. That took him back to First Year, when he stopped those two Third Year jagoffs from hexing and beating Artimus. He never imagined that bruised, timid little boy would eventually become one of his best friends.

He frowned. That's all he would ever have of this place now. Memories. There would be no more sitting in the dorms grousing about homework, no more drooling over Miss Venatici during History of Magic, no more hanging in the parlor of Blazenrowe Hall talking about Quidditch or surly Servant Elves or which was better, Muggle music or Wizarding music.

O'Bannon stared up at the large banners floating by themselves above the audience. Sparkling gold letters spelled out two words.

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES.

After seven years, it had finally arrived.

Graduation Day.

The music swelled as the Seventh Years entered the spacious aisle separating the two rows of spectators. The audience stood and applauded. Intensely bright flashes burst from old-fashioned looking magical cameras. O'Bannon spotted a couple camcorders being held up. The charm that prevented electronic devices from operating inside the Salem Witches Institute had been lifted in deference to the parents of Muggle-borns. The students, the boys in blue robes and hats and the girls in silver ones, waved at their parents and other relatives. He searched the crowd, focusing specifically on the people wearing Muggle clothes. Eventually he found his parents standing with Rosa and Jared's family. He waved to them. Mom waved back while Dad snapped a picture.

The Seventh Years filed into their seats, guided by Fifth or Sixth Years acting as ushers. To O'Bannon's pleasant surprise, his Blazenrowe hockey teammate Dante Marshall was the usher for his row. The two exchanged a high-five before O'Bannon shuffled toward his seat. He stood in front of his chair, waiting for the rest of his class to get situated. A loud sniffle came from his immediate right. He turned to see Ursa Oberlin, tears running down her cheeks. He gave the girl a gentle pat on the shoulder. Ursa looked up at him and mouthed a silent "thank you."

The music faded. Headmistress Esmeralda detached herself from the rest of the faculty and staff seated on the stage and approached the lectern, which was draped in a blue and silver banner bearing the outline of an owl with a red letter "S" in the middle. The words underneath the logo read, SALEM WITCHES INSTITUTE. EST. 1695.

"Please be seated," her magically amplified voice carried across the campus.

The air filled with the shuffling of feet and chairs. When everyone settled, Headmistress Esmeralda continued.

"Parents, relatives, friends, guests, and of course, students. Welcome to this year's commencement ceremony for the Salem Witches Institute. I am Headmistress Athena Esmeralda, and on behalf of my teachers and staff, we are so happy you could be with us today to bear witness to the completion of your child's journey through the realm of magical education. Though, perhaps to call it a completion is a misnomer. Rather, the end of your son's or daughter's time at Salem represents the beginning of a much longer journey. The journey through life. And there is still plenty more to learn." She gazed at the Seventh Years. "Over the course of your lives, you will learn to be better healers, better aurors, better teachers, better at whatever field you choose for yourselves. Even more important, it is my hope that you learn to become something else . . . the best _citizens _you can possibly be."

The Headmistress paused for a breath. "Unfortunately, I fear some of you are wondering how I can talk about the future when a great darkness gathers on the horizon. I, of course, speak of the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

O'Bannon heard more than a few audible gasps and gulps before the headmistress went on.

"True, this is a grave time for our world. But in spite of the threat we face, we must never give up hope. We must never stop dreaming of a future where the evil of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is no more, and peace reigns over the world. Those who fought and died in the last war never gave up hope. Because of their determination, their belief in a brighter future, the forces of evil were vanquished. But now those forces have returned, and we must fight them again."

Again, Headmistress Esmeralda aimed her gaze at the graduates. "To this year's graduating class, to all those in attendance, I say this. When things seem their darkest, hold on to hope. Never surrender to despair. For so long as we have hope, evil can never truly win."

Thunderous applause went up from the crowd. O'Bannon clapped until his hands hurt. He thought back to his mission to England a few months ago. Certainly he had been on the verge of abandoning all hope. Yet he and his friends found a way to warn the Order of the Phoenix and stop those American Death Eaters and dark creatures from crossing the Atlantic.

He sat up straighter, his eyes intensely focused on Headmistress Esmeralda. No matter how bad things got during the course of this war, he would not abandon hope.

The Headmistress soon ended her speech. She was followed by the graduation's keynote speaker, Selene Wigthorpe, the Regional Governor of Wizarding New England. She also talked about the dark times ahead and uniting against it. Next came a speech from the class valedictorian, Cindy Walker. She mostly recapped the graduates' seven years at Salem, including some of the more humorous events they'd experienced. O'Bannon was glad for this light-hearted interlude after the seriousness of the previous two speeches. He had a feeling in the near future, light-hearted moments would be few and far between.

Finally, the time came when Headmistress Esmeralda ordered the Seventh Years to stand and approach the stage. O'Bannon's stomach flipped over.

_This is really it._

"Abigail Luvenia Aguirre," Headmistress Esmeralda called out.

Abigail ascended the small flight of steps, crossed the stage and accepted her certificate of completion.

More names were called, some followed by their academic distinctions, each one named after an animal noted for its intelligence or nobility. Pegaside Honors, Eagle Honors and the top one, Owl Honors.

"Michelle Hayleigh Bunker, Pegaside Honors . . . Ivy Desiree Chatham . . . Jared Virgilio Diaz."

O'Bannon hooted as his friend bounded onto the stage. Ahead of him he could see Rosa jumping and pumping her fists as her cousin took his certificate and accepted handshakes from Headmistress Esmeralda and Governor Wigthorpe. As he left the stage, Jared turned to the audience, grinned wide and gave a thumbs-up.

"Marcel Guy Dubuque, Eagle Honors . . . Darius Constans Forten . . . Penelope Deirdre Hale . . . Beatrice Nadia Hill . . . Rosa Adonia Infante, Owl Honors."

O'Bannon cheered loudly, watching Rosa stride across the stage, her head held high. She accepted her certificate from Headmistress Esmeralda, then turned to the audience while the old witch draped a cloak of gray owl feathers over her shoulders.

O'Bannon drew closer to the stage. His breathing quickened as more names were called.

"Gregory Stephen Lancemore . . . Merak Erebus Mather, Owl Honors . . . Evelyn Helen McAllister . . . Lia Ngor, Owl Honors . . . James Michael O'Bannon, Pegaside Honors."

Applause went up as he walked across the stage. His chest tightened when he stopped in front of the Headmistress.

"Congratulations, Jimmy." He barely heard the witch's words, barely sensed when she shook his hand and gave him his certificate of completion.

_Turn to the audience. Turn to the audience_, a voice shouted from the back of his mind. He faced the crowd, just like he and his classmates who would receive academic honors had been told to do at the graduation rehearsal. His eyes shifted to the left, where he parents, the Diazes and the Infantes all stood and clapped. Mom raised her glasses with one hand and wiped her eyes with the other. Mrs. Diaz put an arm around her shoulders and whispered something in her ear.

Something soft yet heavy settled onto O'Bannon's shoulders. He glanced down and saw his cloak of white feathers plucked from the winged horses native to America.

He barely registered shaking Governor Wigthorpe's hand as he left the stage. A lump formed in his throat as he scanned the Colonial-style buildings around the Salem campus. Knots twisted his shoulders and stomach. Reality nearly suffocated him.

He was no longer a student. He was now on his own.

Part of him liked the idea. Who wouldn't be thrilled at the prospect of independence? Yet another part feared it. As a student, he had a sense of security, of predictability. From September to June he studied at Salem. During the summer he relaxed at home. He didn't have to worry about meals or doing laundry or paying for a place to stay.

Now, he did.

On top of that, he had other things to worry about. Things he never would have imagined if he'd been a simple Muggle high school graduate. Things like fighting a war, like _leading_ people in a war.

"Jimmy!"

The shout snapped him out of his contemplation. He turned and saw Jared jumping and waving at him from his seat. In the row behind Jared, Rosa also waved enthusiastically. O'Bannon smiled and waved back, his worry easing. Whatever the future held for him, he wouldn't be facing it alone. He knew he could always count on three people to be there for him. Jared Diaz, Rosa Infante and . . .

"Artimus Gratian Rand."

"Yeah, Art! Woo!" O'Bannon cheered as Artimus made his way across to stage.

"We love you, Art!" Rosa hollered.

"You're the man, Rand!" Jared yelled.

Artimus turned to them with an embarrassed smile as he accepted his certificate of completion.

After the last Seventh Year, Kelly Ziegler, received her certificate, Headmistress Esmeralda returned to the lectern.

"It is with great pride that I announce the young witches and wizards before you are no longer students of the Salem Witches Institute. They are now full-fledged citizens of the Wizarding World." She looked again at the graduates. "Know that it has been our pleasure and honor to teach you over these past seven years. Go into the world with the knowledge that all of you, in one way or another, have made a lasting impression on this school. Congratulations graduates. Take your next step in this journey called life with our blessings."

As one, the graduating class reached under their robes, pulled out their wands and lifted them to the sky. Multi-colored streaks lit up the air and converged over the audience. A brilliant explosion of color resulted. The shimmering image of the Salem Witches Institute's logo hovered in the air. Words formed beneath it.

THANK YOU, SALEM, FOR SEVEN AWESOME YEARS! WE WILL MISS YOU!

O'Bannon roared with all the other graduates and threw his cap into the air. He spun to his right and found himself wrapped up in a crushing embrace from Ursa Oberlin.

A whirlwind of hugs quickly followed. Every girl he came across had tears in her eyes. Several unabashedly sobbed. Even a few guys looked ready to cry. O'Bannon himself had to fight to keep tears from forming in his eyes.

He'd just finished hugging a very weepy Cindy Walker when he heard two very familiar voices screaming out his name. He turned around just as Jared and Rosa tackled him. All three fell to the ground in a heap. Jared nuggied him while Rosa buried her face in his right shoulder, choking back a sob.

A full minute passed before they picked themselves off the ground. Rosa's jaw quivered. Her eyes glistened with excess moisture.

"Can you believe it, man!" Jared exclaimed. "We're done! Holy crap, we're done!" He slapped O'Bannon on the shoulder hard enough to leave a bruise.

"Yeah, I know," he muttered in a strained voice.

Before any of them could say another word, their parents appeared, along with Jared's older brother Esteban and his wife Oriana, their two-year-old son Rodolfo, and a bevy of aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents from the Diaz/Infante clan. Many, many hugs followed, none tighter than the one O'Bannon's mother gave him.

"Be careful, okay?" she spoke through her sobs. "Be careful."

"I will, Mom." He continued hugging her, biting his lip. He hated this, hated the fact his parents knew about Lord Voldemort's return. For an entire year he had kept this from them. Much as he loved his parents, what would they be able to do about it, being ordinary Muggles? They'd only be able to worry, and tell him constantly how worried they were about him.

But with Voldemort's return finally made public, the Department of Magic had to take precautions, and that extended to the families of Muggle-borns. He could only imagine how Mom and Dad reacted when Mrs. Diaz and Mrs. Infante came round to cast wards and security charms around their home and their person.

He tried to put it out of his mind for the time being. Today was supposed to be a day of celebration.

"Come on. It's time to get some pictures." Mrs. Infante held up her antiquated-looking camera.

"Wait!" Rosa held up a hand. "Not yet. We're missing someone."

"Yeah, where's Art?" Jared scanned the crowd.

"He might be trying to avoid his old man." O'Bannon twisted his lips. "Somehow I doubt he's gonna be real happy with his new job."

"Where's Artimus going to be working?" asked Dad.

When O'Bannon told him, Dad grimaced. Ulysses Rand's prejudices were well known to the O'Bannon family.

"C'mon. Let's track him down." Rosa marched off, followed by O'Bannon, Jared and their families.

"Jimmy."

He froze when he heard his name. His chest tightened at the sound of the familiar voice. A rush of memories flooded his mind, ending with him sitting heartbroken under a darkened sky.

He slowly turned. A short, wiry girl with long brown hair and bangs covering her forehead stood a few feet away.

O'Bannon stared at her, wondering what to say to his former girlfriend, Rana Rollingsworth.

"Um . . . hey, Rana," he muttered several seconds later.

"Hey." The former Seeker for the Blazenrowe Quidditch team studied the grass around her for a bit, then looked back at him. "Um, I don't want to take you away from your family or anything. I just wanted . . . um, do you have a minute?"

"Uh, yeah." He clenched his teeth, fighting down a wave of regret and heartache that suddenly boiled to the surface. He turned to the others. "Um, you guys keep looking for Artimus. I'll catch up."

"Sure, Jimmy." Jared nodded.

Rosa, however, glowered at Rana, who did her best to ignore it. Jared had to take his cousin by the shoulders and physically march her away.

"I guess Rosa still doesn't like me, huh?" Disappointment spread across her pretty face.

O'Bannon opened his mouth, but couldn't come up with a response.

"It's okay." Rana grinned weakly. "You don't have to answer. We both know how Rosa can be if anyone does anything to you or Jared or Artimus. It's just a shame. I've known her since before we even started Salem. She's always been cool. But I guess after . . . well, I guess I can't blame her for feeling that way about me."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She shifted her weight from one leg to the other and looked down.

"Um, congratulations, by the way. I heard you got picked up by the Portland Sea Nymphs." O'Bannon hoped that would break the tension surrounding them.

"Thanks. It's the minor leagues, but one day I'll be up there in the U.S. Quidditch Association."

"Probably taking Charlotte Chivero's place, huh?" He referred to the famous Seeker for the Atlanta Archers, who happened to be Rana's idol.

"Heh! I don't know if I'll ever be _that_ good."

The two fell silent again, looking at each other, or the grass, or the sky, or the nearby trees.

_C'mon, Jimmy. You have a good idea what she wants to talk about._ A big part of him, however, didn't want to talk about it. Why rehash one of the worst nights of his life?

"I'm sorry things didn't work out, Jimmy."

He held his breath. Like it or not, it was in the open now.

"Yeah, me too," he replied.

"It's just . . ." Rana sighed, turning away for a few moments. "I spent two years with Darius. After we broke up, I felt so lonely. By the time the semester started, I was telling myself I had to find someone new. But after Darius cheated on me with Ivy Chatham, I worried that the next guy I dated might do the same. Then you came back from Hogwarts and, well, we always got along great, talking to Rosa and Jared I knew you were a loyal friend. But . . . I really did like you, Jimmy. Really. But looking back, I don't know. Maybe I wasn't really ready for another serious boyfriend. And then that British girl infected the whole school with that Projection Potion. Merlin, I probably couldn't think straight."

Rana's shoulders sagged. Her lower lip quivered. "I'm so sorry, Jimmy. I never wanted to hurt you. I should've . . . I should've said this months ago."

"If it's any consolation, I could've made an attempt. There were times I wanted to talk to you, see if we could get back together. But I was . . . I was afraid you'd say no again, and I knew I couldn't take that." He snorted, his brow furrowing. "I should've just Gryffindored up and talked to you, instead of spending the rest of the school year avoiding you. Now . . ."

Rana inhaled slowly. "I've known you my entire time here, Jimmy. I didn't want to leave with you hating me."

"I don't hate you, Rana. I never did."

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that." A smile lit up her face.

O'Bannon's heart sped up as she strode up to him. She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. He held her tight, closing his eyes, remembering the Halloween Dance, their first kiss, the unbridled joy that had surged through him.

He relished the softness of her hair, inhaled her sweet perfumed scent. His cheek still tingled from her kiss. My God, what could have been.

_Maybe we can . . ._

He dismissed the idea. He would be living in Washington and Rana would be practicing and traveling with the Portland Sea Nymphs for several months out of the year. He doubted any attempt to rekindle their relationship would work.

"Take care, Jimmy," she whispered in his ear.

"You too, Rana." O'Bannon gave her a gentle peck on the cheek as they broke their hug. He stepped backwards, gazing at her as a tear trickled down her cheek.

"Good luck with the Sea Nymphs."

"Thank you." She smiled. "Maybe I'll see you in the stands for one of our games someday."

"Count on it."

With a nod and a smile, he turned away from Rana and headed off to find his friends and family. He spotted them a minute later on a small rise overlooking the graduation area. To his delight, they had found Artimus. O'Bannon's face scrunched as he got closer. Art looked extremely pale and nervous. Before he could ask what was wrong, Rosa stepped in front of him.

"So what did _she_ want?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Oh chill, willya?" His voice held a slight edge. "We just hashed out everything. We're cool, now."

Jared clamped a hand on his shoulder. "Man, you gotta stop this. You're starting to steal my thunder as the ladies man of our merry little quartet."

O'Bannon smirked at him. He just managed to stop himself from saying, "What would Michelle think about that?" Jared and Michelle Bunker had broken up just a few weeks ago.

"So, can we now take some pictures?" Mrs. Infante asked impatiently.

The quartet stood side-by-side, arms around each other.

"Artimus, honey." Mrs. Diaz looked over the flashbulb of her camera. "Smile. You just -"

"Artimus!"

Artimus gasped. His head whipped to the right. Everyone followed his gaze.

"Oh crap," O'Bannon muttered under his breath.

A round, unsmiling man in dark dress robes stomped toward them. He had a stern, angular face and thick white hair. His blazing eyes locked directly onto Artimus.

"Is it true? Is it?"

"I . . . uh . . . I . . ." Artimus' mouth hung open, unable to produce another word.

"Well, out with it boy." Mr. Rand put his hands on his hips and leaned into his youngest son.

"Ulysses." A scowling Mr. Diaz stepped forward. "For Merlin's sake, it's his graduation. Don't ruin it."

Mr. Rand grunted at Jared's dad. That's when O'Bannon noticed several other people hurrying toward Artimus and his father. Hector Rand was one of them, a concerned look on his fleshy face. A buxom young brunette in colorful, expensive dress robes kept pace with him. Behind them came Artimus' other two brothers, Horace and Arcadius, and their beautiful blond trophy wives.

"It's bad enough Hector decided to take a peon job at the Department of Magic." Anger lines dug deep into Mr. Rand's face. "But to work in _that _office. Could there possibly be a more useless job in our world?"

"Dad, not here." Hector placed a hand on Mr. Rand's shoulder. He shrugged it off.

"Dear, please," begged the buxom brunette. "Let's go somewhere else. You don't want people to see you like this."

"Quiet, woman." Mr. Rand glowered at his latest wife, Victoria. He then re-focused on Artimus. "As if your poor grades weren't embarrassment enough for this family. Merlin's beard, you couldn't even manage Pegaside Honors. But that pales in comparison to this. The Office of Wizarding-Muggle Relations!"

Artimus visibly trembled.

"Ulysses, that's enough." Mrs. Diaz approached, backed up by her husband.

"Please, just let him enjoy his graduation," O'Bannon's mother pleaded.

Mr. Rand whipped his head toward her. "Don't even speak to me, _Muggle._ The only reason Artimus is going to work there is because of that damn son of yours."

"Now just hold on a minute, buddy." O'Bannon's father stabbed a finger at Mr. Rand.

"Oh save your empty threats." The wizard returned his steely gaze to Artimus. "Now you listen to me. You're going to contact whoever is in charge of that office and tell them you will not work for them. You're coming to work for the family business. I'll not have two of my sons waste their lives as minor government functionaries."

Mr. Rand turned and started walking away. After five steps, he stopped and checked over his shoulder.

Artimus stayed put.

"Artimus." Mr. Rand growled. "Come!"

O'Bannon narrowed his eyes at the wizard. _For piss sake, he's not a dog._ He could barely suppress the urge to walk over and deck Mr. Rand.

O'Bannon's eyes shifted to Artimus. His friend swallowed. Slowly, his mouth opened and trembled, as if struggling to say something.

"N-No."

Artimus' voice was so meek O'Bannon wondered if anyone else heard it. Judging from the shocked expression on Mr. Rand's face, the old bastard most certainly did.

"What did you say?"

"I-I said no." Artimus drew a ragged breath. "Please, Dad. I-I am of age now. I just want to do something on my own. Is that so bad?"

"We are one of the most prominent families in New England. In the entire American Wizarding World. Do you want to sully that name working with Muggles?"

"What's so bad about that?"

Mr. Rand sighed in exasperation. "There's a reason our worlds exist separately. Muggles flit about, trying one new idea after another, looking to change their society every few minutes. And when Muggle-borns enter our world, they seek to change everything about us. They care nothing about the sacred foundations of Wizarding Society. That's who you want to deal with?"

"Not-Not all Muggles and Muggle-borns are like that." Artimus' neck muscles clenched. He had trouble keeping his gaze locked on his father. "Being around Jimmy for seven years, he's shown me -"

"He's corrupted you. Him, his family . . . _your _family, Liana." Mr. Rand glared at Mrs. Diaz. "Honestly, what sort of witches and wizards are you?"

"The kind that aren't elitist snobs." She shot him a defiant look.

"Go, Mom." O'Bannon heard Jared whisper.

Mr. Rand scowled and shook his head. He looked back at his son. "Well, Artimus? Are you going to come work for me, or waste your life in a useless job?"

Artimus chewed on his trembling lip. Several seconds passed before he responded. "Dad, please. Can't you just let me do this?"

Mr. Rand's head quivered in anger. A loud snort exploded from the man's nostrils. "You want to do something on your own? Fine? Be on your own. Collect your things from the house. I want you out by tonight. And don't come back until you've come to your senses."

"What!" Rosa blurted, an astonished look plastered on her face.

O'Bannon's jaw dropped. So did the jaws of nearly everyone around him. He'd always viewed Ulysses Rand as an s.o.b., but he never imagined the man would kick his own son out on the street.

He looked to Artimus. The young man stood frozen in shock, wide eyes staring at his father.

"Dad, you can't do this," said Hector Rand.

"Ulysses, be reasonable," Mrs. Diaz pleaded.

"As if I'm going to take advice on how to run my family from _you."_ Mr. Rand turned his back on them and stomped off. His wife strode next to him.

"Please, dear. Think about -"

"This is your fault, too." Mr. Rand sneered at her. "How many times did you convince me to let him go off to that Muggle-born's home just so we could have some time to ourselves? Now look what's happened to him."

O'Bannon watched the Rand family leave, save for Artimus and Hector. He shook his head, shock and rage colliding inside him. He'd seen stuff like this on TV shows, but not in real life. And to do this over a friggin' job?

He turned to Artimus, who appeared pale and on the verge of hyperventilating. How many times had he wished his friend would stand up to his jagoff of a father? Now that he finally did . . .

_I never wanted this to happen._

"Artimus, look . . ." Hector put an arm around his younger brother. "Don't worry about this, okay? Maybe after Dad's calmed down he'll change his mind. Meantime, since we'll both be working in Washington, you can stay with me until you find a place of your own."

Artimus struggled to smile. "Thanks . . . Thanks, Hector."

The weak smile didn't last long. It turned into a frown when Artimus saw O'Bannon, Rosa, Jared and their families gather around him.

"I'm . . . I'm sorry about this."

"Art." Rosa gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

"Yeah, man," Jared interjected. "Your dad was way out of line there."

"If anyone should be sorry it's me . . . us." O'Bannon nodded toward Rosa and Jared. "We've been telling you to stand up for yourself for years, especially to your father. Now . . ."

"No, it's all right." Artimus leaned closer to him and lowered his voice. "Lavender said this is what I should do. Tell my father I'm old enough to make my own decisions, and find a job that would . . . well, as she put it, 'hack him off.'"

O'Bannon couldn't help but chuckle. He cast his eyes to the ground, thinking back to earlier this year when they were in England. He couldn't believe someone like Lavender Brown had dished out such good advice to Artimus. Actually, it was pretty much the same advice he and Rosa and Jared had been giving him for the past seven years. He figured Artimus' crush on Lavender may have had something to do with finally making him see the light.

"Look." Artimus stood straighter. "It'll . . . It'll be all right. This is something I need to do. It'll work out."

He drew a long breath and forced a smile. "Come on. I think Mrs. Infante and the others are anxious to take some pictures."

A grin slowly formed on O'Bannon's lips. He slapped Artimus on the shoulder. "Okay, then."

They spent over ten minutes taking pictures, as the O'Bannons, Diazes and Infantes insisted on a number of different combinations; The quartet. O'Bannon and his parents. Mr. and Mrs. O'Bannon with the quartet. Jared and his brother Esteban. Jared, Esteban and Rosa. O'Bannon with the Infantes, and so on and so on.

Once they were done taking pictures they started out for Ovenderburg. They planned to wander the wizarding village for a couple hours before having a celebratory dinner at The Ghostly Gourmet.

"You go ahead," O'Bannon told the adults. "We'll meet you by the post office. We, um, have a few more people we need to say good-bye to."

His parents nodded, as did Rosa's and Jared's, though the Infantes and Diazes knew the real reason the quartet would stay behind.

They had one more ceremony to attend.

**XXXXX**

"Do you pledge to stand with us against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" Headmistress Esmeralda's voice echoed through the pitch black room.

"I do," O'Bannon replied, along with three other voices.

"Do you pledge your strength, your intellect, your fortunes, your very lives, to this just cause?"

"I do."

"Do you take this pledge of your own free will?"

"I do."

O'Bannon jerked in surprise when brilliant white light bathed the room. He closed his eyes tight for a few seconds, then slowly forced them open.

Geysers of white flame shot from four huge candles in each corner of the room, rising all the way to the arched stone ceiling. Ghostly streaks of light broke off from the flames and circled the ante-chamber under the Salem Witches Institute. The tendrils wrapped around O'Bannon, Jared, Rosa and Artimus. Out of thin air a cloak formed over his torso, blue with a blazing white sun, its rays stretching out in all directions.

The tendrils of flame vanished. O'Bannon glanced toward his three friends, all of them standing proudly. All of them wearing similar cloaks.

He drew in a deep breath and lifted his head. He should probably be more afraid, knowing what he had just committed himself to. Instead he mainly felt pride. Pride in the fact he was now part of something bigger than himself. Pride in the great wizards and witches he now stood shoulder-to-shoulder with against one of the greatest evils the world had ever known.

Jimmy O'Bannon did his best to stand at attention, like he'd seen in so many Muggle military movies, as Headmistress Esmeralda approached him and his friends. The old witch looked them over silently for a few seconds, then nodded in satisfaction.

"Welcome to the Guild of the Light."

THE END . . . FOR NOW –

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_The quartet's adventures continue in "Midnight's Blood" as they head back to England. Check it out now on fanfiction-dot-net. Also, check out my original sci-fi/action adventure novel "Dark Wings," where otherworldly creatures invade Earth. It's available in paperback from Amazon or as an e-book at smashwords-dot-com. _


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